7. Debate on the Local Government and Housing Committee Report: Second Homes

Part of the debate – in the Senedd at 4:26 pm on 5 October 2022.

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Photo of John Griffiths John Griffiths Labour 4:26, 5 October 2022

Diolch, Llywydd. May I thank everyone for their contributions to the debate today? I think everybody understands that this is a very important, but complex area, and that much is happening, but much needs to be done.

I would just say to Janet Finch-Saunders, who was the first to contribute, following my opening of the debate, Llywydd, that we do recognise, obviously, the tensions around tourism, the importance of tourism to these areas, and that was mentioned by others in the debate as well. Obviously, it is a balance, but our recommendation that there is proper evaluation of the impact on tourism, I think, is very important. But we do have to recognise—I think you said, Janet, that second home owners are using local services, using local businesses. But we do know that some second home owners may be in those properties for, perhaps, a weekend, a week or two weeks in a whole year, and we heard from the Minister that that can lead to a hollowing-out of communities. They may be ghost towns in the winter, because those businesses and services are not able to operate during those months because there aren't enough people around to use them, and they're not living, sustainable communities, which we've heard is so important, if that hollowing-out takes place.

I think Mabon ap Gwynfor has clearly shown his commitment to these issues, and, obviously, they're very important for Mabon in his own local area, and I commend Mabon on that commitment and his work on the committee on this matter. Obviously, that co-operation agreement between Labour, the Welsh Government and Plaid has been very important in terms of additional focus. And I think we now are in a position, aren't we, where we've got, as the Minister described, a whole range of actions taking place, really important actions to get to the absolute heart of these matters in terms of what will move the dial, as we say, and what will make a real difference on the ground.

It's absolutely right that there should be that pilot in Dwyfor so that we properly evaluate, monitor and make sure that, when we move forward for the whole of Wales, we've got a really solid evidence base that tells us what works, what might not work and what unintended consequences there might be. So, that evidence-based approach, through that pilot and the other work that we've recommended and Welsh Government has accepted, I do think is absolutely crucial.

That stark contrast that Members drew between Airbnb properties and those that might think about the local housing allowance and the revenue that would bring is just incredibly stark, isn't it? It really does show, through the work of the Bevan Foundation and others, what needs to be addressed in terms of the relative attractiveness of particular uses of properties and what will deliver those liveable, sustainable communities. And those points were made by Carolyn Thomas as well. And Carolyn also mentioned the right to housing, and it is a basic right, isn't it? And we had a very important event in the Pierhead just the other week where housing organisations, housing associations and others, talked about the importance of that right to housing and what might happen in Wales if we had the legislation in place that would really make that right a reality right across our country. And that's a campaign that will go on and build.

Could I commend Sam Rowlands as well for his work on the committee and the balanced approach that he's taken throughout, and I think again demonstrated today, trying to get that balance between the importance of tourism, for example, and addressing these contentious issues in particular parts of Wales, especially, again, as Sam highlighted, areas like Gwynedd, Ynys Môn and Ceredigion, and then the importance of looking at other areas of Wales and lessons that we need to learn?

Peredur, thank you for talking about Vienna. It's a really good example of how you take a whole-community approach to these matters and build communities, looking at green spaces, services and community needs. And on that, I think we can take heart from what the Minister has said on many different occasions, which very much recognises the need for that approach and the various measures that are being taken to establish that approach.

I'd just like to close then, Llywydd, by recognising the work that's taken place and the work that is in train. It really is significant. It's not just tokenistic—it is getting to the absolute heart of the challenges that we face in those particular areas of Wales, but across our country. And I very much welcomed that setting out of actions that the Minister has put before us here today—the acceptance of all those recommendations and that very strong commitment from the Minister to sustainable communities, the importance of the Welsh language, the importance of the work of the commission that's being set up and the fertile testing ground of the pilot, as the Minister described it. I think we are wrestling with some very difficult issues, but we have set in train actions, evaluation and monitoring that will allow us to proceed on that evidence-based basis. Thank you very much.

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