published by the community housing cymru group are … · 2014. 1. 9. · 2 april | may edition...

PUBLISHED BY THE COMMUNITY HOUSING CYMRU GROUP

April / May 2013

www.chcymru.org.uk

WELFARE REFORM

Call for parity withNI on welfarepowers

How oneorganisation isaddressing the‘bedroom tax’

Are we ready forageing?

New HousingMinister announcedvia Twitter

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FROM THE CHIEF EXECUTIVE SUPPORTING PEOPLE POLITICS

Are you supportingthe campaign?

FROM THE CHIEF EXECUTIVE

2 April | May edition

Produced by:Community Housing Cymru Group2 Ocean WayCardiffCF24 5TG

029 2067 4800

Designed by Arts Factory

Editor:Edwina O’Hart, CHC Group

Sub Editor:Bethan Samuel, CHC Group

Contributors:Nick Bennett, CHC GroupAaron Hill, CHC GroupSioned Hughes, CHC GroupMatt Kennedy, CHC GroupClare Williams, CHC GroupDr Mark Lang, CREWRegeneration WalesGraham Worthington,Pennaf Housing GroupSheila Tolley, KnowsleyHousing Trust

CommunityHousing Cymru

Group

CHCymruCHCEvents

However, it is CHC’s job to ensure thathousing associations have the best possibleregulatory environment. Members areworried about the impact of welfare reform,particularly the ‘bedroom tax’ and the impactof direct payments. Certain pay day lendersare planning to treble their business on theback of welfare ‘reform’, therefore we needto push for constitutional arrangementsthat save tenants from the sharks.

In Northern Ireland, the Welfare Reform Billmainly transposes the British Bill. However,as social security is technically devolved,there is a notional freedom to accept orreject any or all of its provisions – thoughany divergences from Great Britain thatresult in a more generous Northern Irishsystem would most likely have to be paidfor out of the NI block grant.

The Northern Ireland Executive has decidethat housing benefit can still be paiddirectly to landlords, and the remainingbenefits that make up Universal Credit cango to two members of a household. Also,payments can be made fortnightly ratherthan monthly. Despite strong oppositionfrom Welsh Government to the UniversalCredit system, and the way in which it is

being implemented, it has not been able tooffer Welsh tenants the same opportunityto protect them from these changes.

The Welfare Reform Bill in Northern Irelandhas been severely delayed and it’s unlikelyto be passed before the summer recess.The high profile UK media coverage of the‘bedroom tax’ is helping to harden oppositionin its report to the Assembly. The SocialDevelopment Committee, which is doing thedetailed scrutiny of the Bill, has recommendedthat the under‐occupation clause be droppedin its entirety. The Northern Ireland Executivemay be prepared to shoulder the £17m perannum cost of not implementing.

We need to keep an eye on the devolvednations as housing and welfare agendascontinue to diverge and constitutionscontinue to develop.

That’s why our submission to the SilkCommission, calling for the devolution ofwelfare, has now been made.

Nick BennettGroup Chief Executive

ConstitutionsCount!Recently Community Housing Cymruhas been consulting on ourcorporate plan. One of the mostinteresting reactions was to ourassertion that welfare issues aredevolved to the National Assembly,as they are in Northern Ireland. Asone member rightly said ‐ it is notCHC’s job to campaign for additionalpowers for the National Assembly!

WELFARE REFORM

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Partial U turn by UK Governmentdoesn’t go far enough!The ‘bedroom tax’ came into force on 1 April. Since thelast edition of Cartref, the DWP has announced newprotections for disabled children, foster carers andmembers of the Armed Forces. However, tenants willhave to request a spare room subsidy from their localauthority in order to qualify. CHC continues to opposethe ‘bedroom tax’ and related sanctions which impacton the most vulnerable in our communities.

Disabled ChildrenThe UK Government has dropped its appeal against theCourt of Appeal judgment from 15 May 2012, whichmeans it will be up to each local authority to determinewhether there is a need for an extra bedroom for childrenwho are unable to share because of their severedisabilities. This ruling only applies to children and doesnot apply to disabled adults or where the extra room isrequired for equipment connected with their disability.

Foster carersPeople who are approved foster carers will be allowed anadditional bedroom, irrespective of whether a child hasbeen placed with them or if they are betweenplacements, as long as they have fostered a child orbecome an approved foster carer in the past 12 months.

Armed Forces personnelAdult children who are in the Armed Forces but whocontinue to live with their parents will be treated as livingat home, even when deployed on operations. This meansthat the ‘bedroom tax’ rules will not be applied to theroom if they intend to return home.

While this will go some way towards alleviating the strainfor many vulnerable groups, we believe that it doesn’t gofar enough.

The DWP’s own impact assessment estimates that 40,000households in Wales are under‐occupying and stand tolose an average of £12 per week ‐ a total annual loss of£24.96m for these tenants if they are unable to findalternative accommodation. 88% of our members have amismatch of properties and we believe tenants are notneedlessly under occupying larger homes, but simplyhave no choice due to the national shortage of affordablehomes. Tenants also have the option to move to theprivate rented sector, but we believe this is a falseeconomy as rents are higher. Consequently, tenants inthe private sector receive more local housing allowancewhich will create a larger overall housing benefit bill.

Although the DWP has increased its fund for DiscretionaryHousing Payment (DHP) over the coming years, it isestimated that the total DHP figure for Wales for 2013/14will be around £6.1m – which represents a shortfall ofaround £18.86m for the coming year.

We urgently need a Wales‐wide ‘Welfare DefenceProgramme’ and have called upon the Welsh Governmentfor support and a commitment to spend a large portion ofthe £338m in consequential capital funding on affordablehousing over the next two years. This would allow us tobuild more one and two bed homes, an essentialcommodity to mitigate against the worst impacts of theWelfare Reform Act and to provide real alternatives fortenants who are under occupying.

For further information on the Welfare Defence Programme,please visit the Latest News section of CHC’s website.

Clare WilliamsHousing Services Policy Officer

WELFARE REFORM


Campaignupdate

We are now four months into the ‘Your Benefits areChanging’ (YBAC) campaign to raise awareness about thewelfare reform changes, provide the sector and otherorganisations with campaign material, and to provideadvice and support to those who will be affected thoughour dedicated advice line.

Over 50 organisations have signed up to support thecampaign including members, local authorities, adviceagencies and a number of AMs and MPs. The latestorganisations to sign up are Pembrokeshire Council andSwansea Council. Swansea Council recently branded 80 oftheir vans with the YBAC logo and advice line number.

The YBAC website is proving to be a great resource fortenants and organisations alike. The site is constantlyupdated as announcements are made and containsdetails of signposting organisations, case studies anddownloadable resources including a DHP factsheet anduseful guides for tenants such as ‘Getting Started –Budgeting’. We are also working with the Money AdviceService to include further resources on the site.

The website has had over 45,000 page views since thelaunch with each visitor spending an average of 3 minutes18 seconds on the site. The most viewed page is ‘Gettingthe Facts’.

CHC’s money advice team, all members of the Institute ofMoney Advisors, are responsible for dealing with calls,texts and emails from tenants. 48% of those who havemade contact did so via text, 44% via telephone and theremainder by email. 55% were housing associationtenants, 21% were private tenants and 17% were localauthority tenants with 7% being owner occupiers. Therehas been a rise recently in the number of housingassociation tenants making contact, which has beenattributed to a leaflet drop by a number of members.

39% of callers were identified as being affected by the‘bedroom tax’, of which 8% would be willing to take in alodger and 9% willing to move if a suitable property wasavailable. Only 6% felt they could make up the shortfallthemselves with the remainder requesting furtherinformation on Discretionary Housing Payment.

The money advisors provide a holistic approach, offeringwelfare advice and also concentrating on incomemaximisation. They have estimated that the financial gainto those who have been advised, calculated over a 12month period, currently stands at over £291,000. Thisincludes identifying eligibility for warm home discounts,various benefits currently not being claimed and WelshWater’s Customer Assist Fund, to name a few.

Next stages: We will be working in partnership with Disability Wales toshape our communications around Disability LivingAllowance and Personal Independence Payment changesin the coming weeks. We are also working oncommunicating priority payments and solutions aroundUniversal Credit such as budgeting advice, support toopen bank accounts with direct debit provision andsignposting to relevant local organisations who can assisttenants to get online. We look forward to building on thepartnerships we have already formed, as well asdeveloping new partnerships with organisations such ashigher education authorities and local health boards.

www.yourbenefitsarechanging.co.uk

Edwina O’HartHead of Communications

WELFARE REFORM

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Knowsley Housing Trust (KHT), part of the First Ark Group,is to reclassify nearly 600 family homes as smallerproperties. This will exempt tenants from having theirhousing benefit reduced under the so‐called 'bedroomtax', a component of the UK government's welfare reformagenda, but there were other important reasons fortaking this step.

KHT regularly reviews the sustainability of neighbourhoodsto take account of changing demographics, tenantfeedback, antisocial behaviour and local demand, and toanticipate future investment and maintenance needs.

It had become increasingly apparent that demand for twoand three bedroom flats and maisonettes were virtuallynon‐existent.

These flats had been designed to accommodate familieswith young children, yet they no longer provided asuitable contemporary home for this type of household.Rather than having empty homes blight our neighbourhoods,we have instead offered these homes to single peopleand couples without children.

After seeking legal advice, we now intend to re‐classifythese homes while ensuring that the existing householdscontinue to live there. The reclassification will take placefrom 1 April and rents will be reduced accordingly.Although this decision has been reached independently ofthe work we are doing to protect our tenants from thenegative impact of welfare reform, tenants in these

properties who would have been classed as under‐occupying under the new ‘bedroom tax’ rules will directlybenefit from these changes.

Unlike most other housing associations, we took thedecision to limit rent increases for the past two years. Thiswas to protect our tenants from rising prices and changesbrought about by welfare reform, and to try and keep asmuch disposable income as possible in tenants' pocketsand within the local economy. By setting rents well belowthe maximum, we estimate that we are saving tenants anaverage of £109 – and saving the housing benefit billaround £1.2m a year.

The decision to reclassify these properties will cost us£250,000 a year in rental income, but our business planhas fully accounted for this together with smaller rentincreases.

It is a delicate balancing act to manage a housing providerat this time. We must ensure that the association remainsfinancially viable so it may continue to provide the vitalservices so many people rely on. But we must also findways to support our tenants, many of whom face financialdifficulty while living in one of the most economicallychallenged parts of the country.

Sheila TolleyExecutive Director of Customers and CommunitiesKnowsley Housing Trust

How one organisation isaddressing the ‘bedroom tax’

SUPPORTING PEOPLE


Are we ‘Ready for Ageing?’Last month the House of Lords Committee on Public Service andDemographic Change warned that Government and our society arewoefully underprepared for ageing. The Committee says that longerlives can be a great benefit, but there has been a collective failure toaddress the implications and, without urgent action, this great booncould turn into a series of miserable crises.

The report covers a broad range of policy areas, providinga comprehensive analysis of the potential impact of anageing population on public services.

Matt Kennedy, Policy Officer: Care, Support andCommunity Health at CHC, gives his view:

The ‘Ready for Ageing’ report clearly highlights the challengespresented to public services in the coming decade withsubstantial increases in the size of the elderly populationand cases of dementia. The new Health Minister, MarkDrakeford, has also recently emphasised the challenge ofdelivering sustainable and safe health care in Wales.

The services to older people provided by our membersthrough, for example, homecare, Extra Care and shelteredhousing represents savings to the NHS by aiding individualsto live as independently as possible, in many instancesreceiving care and support that potentially avoids theneed for hospital visits. Further to this, Health and SocialCare services work closely with our members at both astrategic and operational level in providing such services.

In meeting this need, the report highlights the requirementfor social care information to be clear and understandable.In our response to the Social Service & Wellbeing (Wales)Bill, we have welcomed the measure to simplify the socialcare system, having clear and consistent information atthe centre of this. We will be using the report to shapefurther discussion with our members around the futureprovision of older people’s services in Wales.

To read the report and hear an interview from Lord Filkin,the Committee Chairman, visit www.parliament.uk/business/committees/committees‐a‐z/lords‐select/public‐services‐committee/report‐ready‐for‐ageing/

Visit our website to read our consultation response to theSocial Services & Wellbeing (Wales) Bill, which we wrotein collaboration with Care & Repair Cymru.

Communication andSupporting People (SP)CHC recently completed a communications survey withthe Supported Housing Services Forum (SHSF). Themajority of respondents viewed the forum as beingeffective, noting that it provides a good opportunity tonetwork, receive information and formulate a unitedapproach to key issues.

Members fed back that the use of acronyms and thebroad nature of many SP related topics means that someagenda items are not relevant to all attendees. As a resultwe have created a jargon buster for the sector and will beencouraging the forum to be more heavily involved inshaping future forum agendas to ensure optimalrelevance to attendees.

Respondents felt that SP coverage on the website neededto be improved and updated more regularly and we areworking to address this. We are also developing a newmembers’ newsletter which will link closely to thewebsite and will have a dedicated SP section to update onrelevant issues.

In terms of conferences, events and training, memberssuggested that a stronger emphasis on SP may bebeneficial. We will be working with the forum and theCHC Events team to explore how the two can be furtherintegrated in the future.

I would like to take this opportunity to thank allrespondents – I look forward to working with the forum inimplementing these changes.

Matt KennedyPolicy Officer: Care, Support and Community Health

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POLITICS

The scheme has two options. One will see UK Governmentlend up to 20% of the value of the property through anequity loan, and the other is a mortgage guarantee schemefor new builds where the buyer will need a deposit of aslittle as 5%.

Local Government and Communities Secretary Eric Pickleslater announced that the scheme would not excludesecond home buying outright.

In Wales, the budget will see a 0.2% cut to the WelshGovernment’s revenue budget, with a further £161mavailable in capital. We welcome the measures to boost

housing affordability and construction, as well as theadditional £161m in Welsh Government capital ‘spendingpower’ boost over the next two years, and are urgingWelsh Government to invest this, along with the £227mconsequential they have yet to allocate, towards a‘Welfare Defence Programme’ to mitigate against theworst effects of hurricane housing benefit. While theymay be facing a revenue cut of 0.2%, thousands of peoplein Wales are set to lose between 14% and 25% now the‘bedroom tax’ has been introduced.

For further information on the Chancellor’s budget visit: www.hm‐treasury.gov.uk/budget2013.htm

George Osborne delivered his fourth budget as Chancellor lastmonth, including the launch of Help to Buy, which will be availablefrom January 2014 for homes up to £600,000.

Nothing brightens up a dreary Thursday afternoon inCardiff like breaking political news; only this one camewith a twist. Welsh Government’s cabinet reshuffle cameas a surprise to most, but the way they informed thenation was perhaps the biggest shock as the news of thelatest appointments were communicated via Twitter.

The big news for housing is that Carl Sargeant takes overthe new Housing and Regeneration portfolio which nowincludes Planning, with predecessor Huw Lewis taking on anew role as Minister for Tackling Poverty andCommunities, which includes Welfare Reform.

After impressing as Chair of the Health Committee, MarkDrakeford is the new Health Minister, a move which seesLesley Griffiths take on Local Government and Communities.

For further information on the Cabinet Reshuffle and fullMinisterial responsibilities, visit:wales.gov.uk/about/cabinet/cabinetm/?lang=en

Aaron HillPolicy Assistant

Cabinet Reshuffle announced via Twitter

Budget 2013 –What’s in store?

Help to buy: Equity Loan Help to buy: Mortgage Guarantee


NEWS

We could tell you that we’re meeting with the newMinister for Housing and Regeneration and organising atour of housing–led regeneration site visits together. Wecould tell you we’re calling for a ‘Welfare DefenceProgramme’ that increases the supply of new affordablehousing and supports the ‘Your Benefits Are Changing’campaign to provide accurate and timely information onthe changes and a holistic financial advice service, and arein discussions with Welsh Goverment to fund comprehensiveresearch which monitors the impact of Welfare Reform ontenants and landlords. We could tell you we are in thefinal stages of developing Building Enterprise – an EU andsector supported project, celebrating the secured fundingfor CREW Regeneration Wales, along with providing aportfolio of opportunities on wider housing, health andsocial care agendas on which the sector can deliver to thenew Health Minister… or we could tell you that we’vefinished our four month consultation period for theCorporate Plan for 2013‐16 where we tweaked the planto incorporate the responses we received.

We are prioritising our work under the themes of FightingPoverty, Innovation, Regeneration, Social Enterprise andTeam Collaboration. Whichever way we package themessage, we’re putting our members and your tenantsFIRST.

Sioned HughesDirector of Policy and Regeneration

Huw Lewis AM officially opensMoneyline Merthyr Tydfil

Putting you FIRST!

F ighting PovertyI nnovationR egenerationS ocial EnterpriseT eam Collaboration

Local AM Huw Lewis officially opened Moneyline MerthyrTydfil last month. Moneyline is a not‐for‐profitorganisation which provides affordable loans and freemoney advice to people who are usually ignored by banksand building societies. This is the sixth branch to open inWales and will provide a real alternative to high interestmoney lenders and loan sharks.

Huw Lewis, who has recently been appointed Ministerwith responsibility for Welfare Reform, addressedattendees and said: ‘Don’t despair about the high interestlenders. They’ve been here before, pick pocketing thepeople of this community. Teamwork between Moneyline and the Credit Union will protect thousands of familiesfrom being pushed over the edge into a situation ofsimply not being able to afford to get by.’

To date, Welsh Moneyline branches have issued over13,000 loans valuing over £6m. Customers areencouraged to open a savings account, with nearly a thirdopting to do so, collectively saving a total of £900k.

In addition, free independent money advice is offered toall customers, regardless of whether they have beenoffered a loan or not. This money advice project is run byCHC’s money advisors who have been funded by the BigLottery and Dŵr Cymru.

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NEWS IN BRIEF

Rural Housing Week CHC’s Welsh Rural Housing Week has been confirmedfor week commencing 20 May. A Rural HousingStrategic Day, to be attended by new Housing MinisterCarl Sargeant, will take place on 23 May at BreconCastle Hotel. Further information to follow.

Building Enterprise – Think differently, do differently!We are now only weeks away from announcing thelaunch of Building Enterprise, an EU funded project whichwill be managed by Community Housing Cymru. Its aim isto support social enterprises and housing associations topartner and anchor wealth in disadvantagedcommunities. The project will support 50 organisationsand set up five new social enterprises within convergenceareas. If you require further information on the project orwould like to get involved, please contact sioned‐[email protected].

Welsh Governmentlaunch revised Health andHomelessness StandardsCHC welcome the launch of the new Health &Homelessness Standards, announced by Sir ManselAylward at Cymorth Cymru's Annual Conference. Ensuringthat vulnerable groups are able to gain access tohealthcare is vital. Those experiencing any period ofhomelessness are likely to be involved in chaotic patternsof living which impact on their mental and physicalhealth. These refined standards will pave the way forgreater cross sector collaboration in addressing needs ofhomeless people and other vulnerable groups. Thestandards can be viewed on CHC’s website.

New Governance Officers’NetworkThe Governance Officers’ Network has become the latestaddition to CHC’s Networks and Forums, after the groupdecided at the recent Governance Conference to passadministration of the group to CHC. The next meeting willtake place on 15 May at First Choice HA in Penarth. Seethe website for more details.

Keeping you up to date

We launched the revamped Board Members’ Briefing inFebruary and have had positive feedback from BoardMembers, Chief Executives and Governance Officers. Thenewsletter opens in the body of your email and linksstraight through to relevant websites, which means thatmembers do not need to log into CHC’s website to readthe newsletter. CHC’s new members’ newsletter, anamalgamation of the monthly Briefing and the weekly E‐Briefing, will also be launched later this month. If youhave any feedback on the new newsletters, please contactbethan‐[email protected].


A MEMBER’S PERSPECTIVE

A Changing Landscape

As long as I have worked in the housing sector, it has beencontinually changing. As a sector, we have been particularlygood at responding to this change. The Pennaf HousingGroup was established in 2003 in response to anticipatedchanges within the sector and the need to be more flexibleto meet differing housing needs. At this time the Groupconsisted of three organisations, and over the past tenyears has grown with the addition of four new subsidiaries,reflecting the increased diversity of operations within theGroup to meet differing housing needs.

The most recent additions to the Group have beenPenAlyn and PenElwy. PenAlyn provides reactive andplanned maintenance services to the Group’s tenants andPenElwy provides services to leaseholders and externalbodies, generating income for the Group. The primedrivers for the internalisation of maintenance serviceswere to respond to requests from tenants to expand ourexisting DLO activities, due to the high level of satisfactionwith the quality of service provided by the team; to givethe Group greater control over the delivery ofmaintenance services; and to achieve efficiencies byreduction in VAT payments. The service went live fullyfrom 26 November last year and we are already receivingpositive feedback from our tenants.

Over the past year the Group has also developed a SocialLettings Agency, along with a management service forprivate sector landlords operating in the North Wales area,which operates under the Offa brand.

The Group has continued to develop projects to meetdiffering housing needs with our fifth Extracare schemecurrently being developed in Llandudno, the opening ofour first Nursing Home in Colwyn Bay, the provision ofnon‐residential projects, our continued involvement inregeneration activities, particularly in the North Wales

Strategic Regeneration Area, along with our continueddevelopment of mainstream social housing projects andtenant community activities. The Group has also madesubstantial investment in the provision of greentechnologies to reduce energy costs for tenants.

A new Social Enterprise initiative called ODEL has beenestablished, based upon our primary purpose: OpeningDoors – Enhancing Lives. Initially this project is focusedupon our Supported Living projects for young persons,incorporating national accreditation for modules ofactivity, and working with older persons in respect of anumber of intergenerational projects across North Wales.Plans exist to develop the initiative further in the futureto offer a range of additional services.

Internally the Group has changed its approach toperformance management, adopting an outcomes focusedapproach to performance, in line with the RegulatoryFramework. However, the outcomes we are working toare not the ‘Delivery Outcomes’ determined by the WelshGovernment, but outcomes that have been arrived atfollowing a consultative process with our tenants andstakeholders. These outcomes are now the focus for ourBusiness Planning activities and Self Assessment.

Change is constant within the sector, but has never beenas rapid or dramatic as the current situation we findourselves in. Like all other housing associations, we arehaving to deal with the effects of Welfare Reform,investigate new funding mechanisms, meet the requirementsof the regulatory system and actively develop partnershipsto move forward. But as a Group... we’re up for it!

Graham WorthingtonGroup Chief Executive

New Rural Homes, Gwernaffield

Handover of new family housing in Treuddyn

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CREW UPDATE

CREW Update

Central to CREW’s work is our research programme, andfor each of the next three years we will be undertaking amajor piece of research. This year our central researchproject is the Tredegar ‘Deep Place’ Study, which isdeveloping a complete picture of Tredegar and seeking toidentify what opportunities exist to create a sustainablecommunity by 2030. Alongside our annual core researchproject, we also undertake practice related researchprojects, which specifically inform our case studies, toolkits,and training and events programme.

We are currently planning our events programme for theupcoming year, details of which will shortly be availableon our website. As well as organising the NationalRegeneration Summit scheduled for November, we arealso organising a Rural Regeneration Summit and anInnovative Local Economic Development Conference. Aswell as these major conferences, we will be organising aseries of site and evening seminars throughout the year,such as our recent very timely lecture by Julia Unwin onWelfare Reform and Poverty, which is now available onour website.

Our training also continues throughout the year, with thecontinuation of our Low Carbon Leadership programme,training on the establishing of Business ImprovementDistricts, and training on monitoring and evaluation.Since its launch at the end of last year, our new website isproving increasingly popular, and we will continue to addfree to access resources over the coming months andyears. One of the new resources we are currently planningis the addition of a searchable regeneration bibliographyto the website. We will also make extensive use of Twitterto raise awareness of our work and our events.

As well as our existing Small Towns Network, HayleyMacNamara, who will be working across CREW andCommunity Housing Cymru, will be leading on the newlyrelaunched Housing‐Led Regeneration Network. We arealso planning to make the Regeneration Skills CollectiveWales a CREW sponsored network, and work is also beingundertaken to consider the establishment of a Heritage‐Led Regeneration Network.

To keep up to date with all CREW activities please visitwww.regenwales.org and follow us on Twitter@CREWRegenWales.

Dr Mark Lang, Senior ResearcherCREW Regeneration Wales

Julia Unwin, ChiefExecutive of the JosephRowntree Foundationwith Professor DaveAdamson, Chief Executiveof CREW RegenerationWales. To read Julia’slecture on WelfareReform and Poverty, visitwww.regenwales.org

This is a busy time for CREW Regeneration Wales, and the team is currently working todevelop our programme for the next three years. These are difficult economic times,and CREW will be seeking to maximise its positive contribution to regeneration in Wales.

“As well as organising the NationalRegeneration Summit scheduled forNovember, we are also organising a RuralRegeneration Summit and an InnovativeLocal Economic Development Conference.”

Conferences:JULY 2013

11/12 Resources Conference

Metropole HotelLLANDRINDOD WELLS

Training Courses:


OCTOBER 2013

10/11 One Big Housing

ConferenceMetropole Hotel

LLANDRINDOD WELLS

EVENTS

For further information about our training courses, pleasecontact: jenny‐[email protected].

Under One RoofThe CHC Group has recently launched a newblog in order to share views on not‐for‐profithousing, care and regeneration on yet anotherchannel. The blog will strengthen our onlinepresence and will complement the newfortnightly newsletter. We will be publishingguest blogs as well as blog posts from staffwithin the CHC Group. Please feel free to read,comment and join the conversation!

www.chcgroup.blogspot.co.uk

SEPTEMBER 2013

25 Discipline & Grievance CARDIFF

NOVEMBER 2013

13 Equal Pay CARDIFF

NOVEMBER 2013

21/22 Annual Housing

ConferenceHilton Hotel

CARDIFF

DECEMBER 2013

4/5 PR and Communications

ConferenceMetropole Hotel

LLANDRINDOD WELLS

JUNE 2013

3 Secrets of High Performing Teams CARDIFF3 Managing Difficult Behaviour CARDIFF26 Changing Terms & Conditions of Employment

CARDIFF

MAY 2013

15 Case Law Update CARDIFF21 Setting up a Community Garden COLWYN BAY22 Setting up a Community Garden CARDIFF24 Rent Arrears Management: The ‘Bedroom Tax’ &

Universal Credit Conversations CARDIFF

JULY 2013

2 Delivering Creative Neighbourhoods CARDIFF4 An Introduction to Housing Associations CARDIFF

For further information about our conferences, please contact:rhian‐[email protected]

Follow us on @CHCymru and @CHCEvents

LinkedIn – Thanksfor your feedback!We have conducted research into the use ofLinkedIn in the Welsh social housing sector, andhave received a positive response frommembers. LinkedIn is a professional networkingtool, and 65% of those surveyed have an activeLinkedIn account and are keen to interact withCHC and other members via this socialnetworking site. We will therefore beintensifying our activity on LinkedIn over thecoming weeks and will also be setting up aninitial discussion group. If you have anycomments on CHC’s use of LinkedIn or any othersocial media channels, please contact bethan‐[email protected].

APRIL 2013

19 Value for Money Seminar CARDIFF25 Equality Impact Assessments COLWYN BAY

Ebrill / Mai 2013

www.chcymru.org.uk

DIWYGIO LLES

Galw amgydraddoldeb gydaGogledd Iwerddonar bwerau lles

Sut mae un sefydliadyn trin y ‘drethystafelloedd gwely’

Ydym ni’n barod argyfer heneiddio?

Cyhoeddi GweinidogTai newydd drwyTwitter

–– t2 –– t5 –– t6 –– t7

GAN Y PRIF WEITHREDYDD CEFNOGI POBL GWLEIDYDDIAETH

Ydych chi’ncefnogi’r ymgyrch?

CYHOEDDWYD GAN GRŴP CARTREFI CYMUNEDOL CYMRU

GAN Y PRIF WEITHREDYDD

2 Rhifyn Ebrill | Mai

Cynhyrchwyd gan:Grŵp Cartrefi Cymunedol Cymru2 Ocean WayCaerdyddCF24 5TG

029 2067 4800

Dyluniwyd gan Arts Factory

GolygyddEdwina O’Hart, Grŵp CHC

Is‐olygydd:Bethan Samuel, Grŵp CHC

Cyfranwyr:Nick Bennett, Grŵp CHCAaron Hill, Grŵp CHCSioned Hughes, Grŵp CHCMatt Kennedy, Grŵp CHCClare Williams, Grŵp CHCDr Mark Lang, CREWAdfywio CymruGraham Worthington, GrŵpTai PennafSheila Tolley, YmddiriedolaethTai Knowsley

CommunityHousing Cymru

Group

CHCymruCHCEvents

Fodd bynnag, gwaith CHC yw sicrhau fodgan gymdeithasau tai yr amgylcheddrheoleiddiol gorau posibl. Mae aelodau’nbryderus am effaith diwygio lles, yn arbennigy ‘dreth ystafelloedd gwely’ ac effaithtaliadau uniongyrchol. Mae rhai benthycwyrdiwrnod cyflog yn bwriadu treblu eu busnesyn sgil y ‘diwygio’ lles, felly mae angen i niwthio am drefniadau cyfansoddiadol a allachub tenantiaid rhag y siarcod.

Yng Ngogledd Iwerddon, mae’r Bil DiwygioLles yn bennaf yn trawsosod y Bil Prydeinig.Fodd bynnag, gan fod nawdd cymdeithasolyn dechnegol wedi’i ddatganoli, maerhyddid tybiannol i dderbyn neu wrthodunrhyw un neu bob un o’i ddarpariaethau –er ei bod yn debygol y byddai’n rhaid iunrhyw amrywiadau o Brydain Fawr sy’narwain at system fwy hael yng NgogleddIwerddon gael eu talu allan o grant blocGogledd Iwerddon.

Mae Gweithrediaeth Gogledd Iwerddonwedi penderfynu y gellir parhau i dalubudd‐dal tai’n uniongyrchol i’r landlord, ac ygall gweddill y budd‐daliadau sy’n rhan o’rCredyd Cynhwysol fynd i ddau aelod oaelwyd. Hefyd, gellir gwneir taliadau bobbythefnos yn hytrach na phob mis. Ergwrthwynebiad cryf gan Lywodraeth Cymru

i’r system Credyd Cynhwysol, a’r ffordd ycaiff ei gweithredu, nid yw wedi gallu cynnigyr un cyfle i denantiaid Cymru i’w hamddiffynrhag y newidiadau hyn.

Bu gohiriad mawr yn y Bil Diwygio Lles yngNgogledd Iwerddon ac mae’n annhebyg ogael ei basio cyn gwyliau’r haf. Mae’r sylwhelaeth i’r ‘dreth ystafelloedd gwely’ gan ycyfryngau Prydeinig yn helpu i gynyddugwrthwynebiad. Yn ei adroddiad i GynulliadGogledd Iwerddon, mae’r Pwyllgor DatblyguCymdeithasol wedi argymell y dylid dileu’rcymal tan‐ddefnydd. Gall GweithrediaethGogledd Iwerddon fod yn barod iysgwyddo’r gost o £17m y flwyddyn obeidio’i weithredu.

Mae angen i ni gadw llygad ar y cenhedloedddatganoledig wrth i agendâu tai a lles barhaui amrywio a chyfansoddiadau barhau iddatblygu.

Dyna pam y gwnaethom alw yn ein tystiolaethi Gomisiwn Silk am ddatganoli lles.

Nick BennettPrif Weithredydd Grŵp

Mae Cyfansoddiadau’nCyfrif!Bu Cartrefi Cymunedol Cymru’nymgynghori ar ein cynllun corfforaetholyn ddiweddar. Cafwyd peth o’r ymatebmwyaf diweddar i’n datganiad y dylaimaterion lles gael eu datganoli i’rCynulliad Cenedlaethol, fel y maentyng Ngogledd Iwerddon. Fel yr oeddun aelod yn gywir i ddweud – nidgwaith CHC yw ymgyrchu drosbwerau ychwanegol i’r CynulliadCenedlaethol!

DIWYGIO LLES

3

Daeth y ‘dreth ystafelloedd gwely’ i rym ar 1 Ebrill. Ersrhifyn diwethaf Cartref, mae’r Adran Gwaith a Phensiynau(DWP) wedi cyhoeddi mesurau diogelu newydd ar gyferplant anabl, gofalwyr maeth ac aelodau’r Lluoedd Arfog.Fydd bynnag, bydd yn rhaid i denantiaid wneud cais amgymhorthdal ystafell sbâr gan eu hawdurdod lleol ermwyn cymhwyso. Mae CHC yn parhau i wrthwynebu’r‘dreth ystafelloedd gwely’ a sancsyniau cysylltiedig sy’neffeithio ar aelodau mwyaf bregus ein cymunedau.

Plant AnablMae Llywodraeth y Deyrnas Unedig wedi rhoi’r gorau i’wapêl yn erbyn dyfarniad y llys Apêl o 15 Mai 2012, sy’ngolygu mai mater i bob awdurdod lleol fydd penderfynuos oes angen ystafell wely ychwanegol ar gyfer plant na allrannu oherwydd eu hanableddau difrifol. Dim ond argyfer plant y mae hyn ac nid yw’n weithredol ar gyferoedolion anabl neu lle mae angen yr ystafell ychwanegolar gyfer offer yn gysylltiedig gyda’u hanabledd.

Gofalwyr maethCaniateir i bobl a gymeradwywyd fel gofalwyr maeth gaelystafell wely ychwanegol, p’un ai os oes plentyn wedi’ileoli gyda hwy neu os ydynt rhwng lleoliadau, cyhyd â’ubod wedi maethu plentyn neu ddod yn ofalwyr maethcymeradwy yn y 12 mis diwethaf.

Personél y Lluoedd ArfogCaiff plant mewn oed sydd yn y Lluoedd Arfog ond sy’nparhau i fyw gyda’u rhieni eu trin fel bod yn byw gartref,hyd yn oed pan maent ymaith ar gyrchoedd. Mae hyn yngolygu na chaiff y rheolau ‘treth ystafelloedd gwely’ eugweithredu ar gyfer yr ystafell os bwriadant ddychwelydadref.

Er yr aiff hyn beth o’r ffordd i liniaru’r pwysau ar gyferllawer o grwpiau bregus, ni chredwn ei fod yn mynd ynddigon pell.

Mae asesiad effaith y DWP ei hunan yn amcangyfrif fod40,000 o aelwydydd yng Nghymru yn tanddefnyddio ac ygallent golli £12 yr wythnos ar gyfartaledd ‐ cyfanswmcolled flynyddol o £24.96m ar gyfer y tenantiaid hyn os naallant ddod o hyd i gartref arall. Mae gan 88% o’nhaelodau ddiffyg cyfatebiaeth eiddo a chredwn nad ywtenantiaid yn defnyddio cartrefi mwy yn ddiangen, ondnad oes dewis ganddynt oherwydd prinder cenedlaetholo gartrefi fforddiadwy. Mae gan denantiaid hefyd opsiwnsymud i’r sector rhent preifat, ond credwn y gallai hynmewn gwirionedd gostio mwy gan fod y rhenti’n uwch.Fel canlyniad, bydd tenantiaid yn y sector preifat ynderbyn mwy o lwfans tai lleol fydd yn creu cyfanswm biluwch ar gyfer budd‐dal tai.

Er bod DWP wedi cynyddu ei gronfa ar gyfer Taliad TaiDewisol ar gyfer y blynyddoedd nesaf, amcangyfrifir ybydd cyfanswm y Gronfa ar gyfer Cymru yn 2013/14 tua£6.1m ‐ sy’n ddiffyg o tua £18.86m am y flwyddyn i ddod.

Mae angen brys am ‘Raglen Amddiffyn Lles’ ledled Cymruac rydym wedi galw ar Lywodraeth Cymru am gefnogaethac ymrwymiad i wario cyfran helaeth o’r £338m mewncyllid cyfalaf canlyniadol ar dai fforddiadwy dros y ddwyflynedd nesaf. Byddai hyn yn ein galluogi i adeiladu mwy ogartrefi un a dwy ystafell wely, sy’n hanfodol i liniarueffeithiau gwaethaf y Ddeddf Diwygio Lles a rhoi gwirddewisiadau ar gyfer tenantiaid sy’n tanddefnyddio. I gaelmwy o wybodaeth ar y Rhaglen Amddiffyn Lles, ewch i'radran Newyddion Diweddaraf ar wefan CHC.

Clare WilliamsSwyddog Polisi Gwasanaethau Tai

Tro bedol rannol gan Lywodraeth y DUdim yn mynd yn ddigon pell!

DIWYGIO LLES


DiweddariadYmgyrch

Bu ymgyrch ‘Mae Budd‐daliadau yn Newid’ yn myndrhagddi ers pedwar mis bellach er mwyn codi ymwybyddiaetham y newidiadau diwygio lles, darparu deunyddiau ymgyrchi’r sector a sefydliadau arall a rhoi cyngor a chymorthdrwy ein llinell ffôn arbennig i’r rhai yr effeithir arnynt.

Mae dros 50 sefydliad yn cefnogi’r ymgyrch yn cynnwysaelodau, awdurdodau lleol, asiantaethau cyngor a nifer oAelodau Cynulliad ac Aelodau Seneddol. Y sefydliadaudiweddaraf i ymuno yw Cyngor Abertawe a Chyngor SirBenfro. Mae Cyngor Abertawe wedi gosod logo’r ymgyrcha rhif y llinell gyngor ar 80 o’u faniau.

Mae gwefan Mae Budd‐daliadau yn Newid yn adnoddgwych ar gyfer tenantiaid a sefydliadau. Caiff y wefan eidiweddaru’n gyson fel y gwneir cyhoeddiadau ac mae’ncynnwys manylion sefydliadau, astudiaethau achos acadnoddau y gellir eu lawrlwytho yn cynnwys dalenffeithiau ar Daliadau Tai Dewisol a chanllawiau defnyddiolar gyfer tenantiaid megis dalen ffeithiau ar drin arian.Rydym hefyd yn gweithio gyda’r Gwasanaeth CyngorArian i gynnwys adnoddau pellach ar y safle.

Edrychwyd ar dudalennau’r wefan dros 45,000 o weithiauers ei lansio gyda phob ymwelydd yn treulio 3 munud 18eiliad ar gyfartaledd ar y safle. ‘Cael y Ffeithiau’ yw’rdudalen yr edrychir arni amlaf.

Mae tîm cyngor arian CHC, sydd i gyd yn aelodau o’rSefydliad Cynghorwyr Arian, yn gyfrifol am ddelio gydagalwadau, negeseuon testun ac e‐byst gan denantiaid. Fewnaeth 48% o’r rhai a gysylltodd wneud hynny drwyneges destun, 44% dros y ffôn a’r gweddill drwy e‐bost.Roedd 55% yn denantiaid cymdeithasau tai, 21% yndenantiaid preifat, 17% yn denantiaid awdurdod lleol a7% yn berchen‐breswylwyr. Bu cynnydd yn ddiweddar yny nifer o denantiaid cymdeithasau tai sy’n cysylltu, aphriodolwyd hynny i daflen a ddosbarthwyd gan nifer oaelodau.

Dynodwyd fod y ‘dreth ystafelloedd gwely’ yn effeithio ar39% o’r sawl a alwodd. Byddai 8% ohonynt yn fodloncymryd lletywr a byddai 9% yn fodlon symud pe baiannedd addas ar gael. Dim ond 6% a gredai y medrentlenwi’r bwlch eu hunain gyda’r gweddill yn gofyn am fwyo wybodaeth am y Taliad Tai Dewisol.

Mae’r cynghorwyr arian yn cynnig gwasanaeth cyflawn,gan gynnig cyngor lles a hefyd yn canolbwyntio ar gynydduincwm. Maent wedi amcangyfrif fod y budd ariannol i’rrhai a gafodd gyngor, wedi’i gyfrif dros gyfnod o 12 mis,dros £291,000 ar hyn o bryd. Mae hyn yn cynnwys dynodicymhwyster am ddisgownt cartrefi cynnes, gwahanolfudd‐daliadau nad ydynt yn cael eu hawlio ar hyn o bryd aChronfa Cymorth Cwsmeriaid Dŵr Cymru.

Y camau nesaf: Byddwn yn gweithio mewn partneriaeth gydag AnableddCymru i lunio ein cyfathrebu am newidiadau i’r LwfansByw i’r Anabl a’r Taliad Annibyniaeth Personol yn yrwythnosau nesaf. Rydym hefyd yn gweithio ar gyfathrebutaliadau blaenoriaeth a datrysiadau’n ymwneud â’rCredyd Cynhwysol megis cyngor ar drin arian, cymorth iagor cyfrifon banc gyda darpariaeth debyd uniongyrchol achyfeirio at sefydliadau lleol perthnasol a all gynorthwyotenantiaid i fynd ar‐lein. Edrychwn ymlaen at adeiladu ary partneriaethau yr ydym eisoes wedi’u ffurfio, yn ogystalâ datblygu partneriaethau newydd gyda sefydliadaumegis awdurdodau addysg uwch a byrddau iechyd lleol.

www.yourbenefitsarechanging.co.uk

Edwina O’HartPennaeth Cyfathrebu

DIWYGIO LLES

5

Bydd Ymddiriedolaeth Tai Knowsley (KHT), sy’n rhan oGrŵp First Ark, yn ailddosbarthu 600 o gartrefi teulu felanheddau llai. Bydd hyn yn eithrio tenantiaid rhag cael eubudd‐dal tai wedi’i ostwng dan y ‘dreth ystafelloedd gwely’fondigrybwyll, rhan o agenda diwygio lles Llywodraeth yDeyrnas Unedig, ond roedd camau pwysig eraill am gymrydy cam hwn.

Mae KHT yn adolygu cynaliadwyedd cymdogaethau ynrheolaidd i roi ystyriaeth i newid mewn demograffeg,adborth tenantiaid, ymddygiad gwrthgymdeithasol a galwlleol, ac i ragweld anghenion y dyfodol ar gyfer buddsoddiada chynnal a chadw.

Daeth yn gynyddol amlwg nad oedd bron ddim galw amfflatiau a maisonettes dwy a thair ystafell wely.

Cynlluniwyd y fflatiau hyn ar gyfer teuluoedd gyda phlantifanc, eto nid oeddent bellach yn rhoi cartrefi cyfoes addasar gyfer y math yma o aelwyd. Yn hytrach na chael cartrefigwag yn falltod yn ein cymdogaethau, rydym yn lle hynnywedi cynnig y cartrefi hyn i bobl sengl a chyplau heb blant.

Ar ôl cael cyngor cyfreithiol, bwriadwn yn awr ailddosbarthu’rcartrefi hyn gan sicrhau y bydd yr aelwydydd presennol ynparhau i fyw yno. Bydd yr ailddosbarthiad yn digwydd o 1Ebrill a chaiff rhenti eu gostwng yn unol â hynny.

Er y gwnaed y penderfyniad hwn ar wahân i’r gwaith awnawn i ddiogelu ein tenantiaid rhag effaith negyddoldiwygio lles, bydd tenantiaid yn yr anheddau hyn a fyddidwedi eu dosbarthu fel bod yn tanddefnyddio dan reolau

newydd y ‘dreth ystafelloedd gwely’ yn cael budduniongyrchol o’r newidiadau hyn.

Yn wahanol i’r rhan fwyaf o gymdeithsau tai eraill, fewnaethom benderfynu cyfyngu cynnydd rhent am y ddwyflynedd ddiwethaf. Roedd hyn er mwyn diogelu eintenantiaid rhag cynnydd prisiau a newidiadau yn sgildiwygio lles, a cheisio cadw cymaint o incwm dros ben agoedd modd ym mhocedi tenantiaid ac o fewn yr economilleol. Drwy osod rhenti sydd gryn dipyn yn is na’ruchafswm, amcangyfrifwn ein bod yn arbed £109 argyfartaledd i denantiaid ‐ ac yn arbed tua £1.2m yflwyddyn oddi ar y bil budd‐dal tai.

Bydd y penderfyniad i ailddosbarthu’r anheddau hyn yncostio £250,000 i ni mewn incwm rhent, ond mae eincynllun busnes wedi ystyried hyn yn llawn ynghyd âchynnydd llai mewn rhent.

Mae’n anodd cadw’r fantol gywir wrth reoli darparydd taiar hyn o bryd. Mae’n rhaid i ni sicrhau fod y gymdeithas ynparhau’n ariannol hyfyw fel y gall barhau i ddarparu’rgwasanaethau hollbwysig y mae cynifer o bobl yn dibynnuarnynt. Ond mae’n rhaid i ni hefyd ganfod ffyrdd i gefnogiein tenantiaid, gyda llawer ohonynt yn wynebuanawsterau ariannol ac yn byw yn un o’r ardaloedd sy’nwynebu’r heriau economaidd mwyaf yn y wlad.

Sheila TolleyCyfarwyddydd Gweithredol Cwsmeriaid a ChymunedauYmddiriedolaeth Tai Knowsley

Sut mae un sefydliad yn mynd i’rafael â’r ‘dreth ystafelloedd gwely’

CEFNOGI POBL


Fis diwethaf rhybuddiodd Pwyllgor Tŷ’r Arglwyddi ar WasanaethCyhoeddus a Newid Demograffig fod Llywodraeth a’n cymdeithas wediparatoi’n wael tu hwnt ar gyfer heneiddio. Dywed y Pwyllgor y gallbywydau hirach fod o fudd mawr, ond y bu methiant torfol i fynd i’rafael â’r goblygiadau a, heb weithredu ar frys, y gallai’r fendith fawrhon droi’n gyfres o argyfyngau digalon.

Mae’r adroddiad yn trafod ystod eang o feysydd polisi,gan roi dadansoddiad cynhwysfawr o effaith bosiblpoblogaeth sy’n heneiddio ar wasanaethau cyhoeddus.

Dywedodd Matt Kennedy, Swyddog Polisi: Cymorth, Gofala Iechyd Cymunedol CHC:

Mae adroddiad ‘Ready for Ageing’ yn tynnu sylw at yr heriaua gyflwynir i wasanaethau cyhoeddus yn y degawd nesafgyda chynnydd sylweddol ym maint y boblogaeth oedrannusac achosion o dementia. Mae Mark Drakeford, y GweinidogTai newydd, hefyd wedi tanlinellu her cyflenwi gofal iechydcynaliadwy a diogel yng Nghymru.

Mae’r gwasanaethau i bobl hŷn a ddarperir gan ein haelodaudrwy, er enghraifft, gofal cartref, Gofal Ychwanegol a thaigwarchod yn cynrychioli arbedion i’r Gwasanaeth IechydGwladol drwy gynorthwyo unigolion i fyw mor annibynnol agsydd modd, mewn llawer o achosion yn derbyn gofal achymorth a allai osgoi’r angen am ymweliadau ysbyty.Ymhellach i hyn, mae gwasanaethau Iechyd a GofalCymdeithasol yn gweithio’n agos gyda’n haelodau ar lefelstrategol a gweithredol i ddarparu gwasanaethau o’r fath.

I gyflawni’r angen yma, mae’r adroddiad yn amlygu’r angen iwybodaeth gofal cymdeithasol fod yn glir a dealladwy. Yn einhymateb i Fil Gwasanaeth Cymdeithasol a Lles (Cymru),rydym wedi croesawu’r mesur i symleiddio’r system gofalcymdeithasol, gyda gwybodaeth glir a chyson yn ganolog ihyn. Byddwn yn defnyddio’r adroddiad i lunio trafodaethbellach gyda’n haelodau o amgylch darpariaethgwasanaethau pobl hŷn yng Nghymru yn y dyfodol.

I ddarllen yr adroddiad a chlywed cyfweliad gan yrArglwydd Filkin, Cadeirydd y Pwyllgor, ewch iwww.parliament.uk /business/committees/committees‐a‐z/lords‐select /public‐services‐committee/report‐ready‐for‐ageing/

Ymwelwch â’n gwefan i ddarllen ein hymateb i’rymgynghoriad ar Fil Gwasanaethau Cymdeithasol a Lles(Cymru), a luniwyd ar y cyd gyda Care & Repair Cymru.

Cyfathrebu a Chefnogi PoblCwblhaodd CHC arolwg cyfathrebu yn ddiweddar gyda’rFforwm Gwasanaethau Tai a Chymorth. Credai mwyafrifyr ymatebwyr fod y fforwm yn effeithlon, gan ddweud eifod gyfle da i rwydweithio, derbyn gwybodaeth a ffurfiodull gweithredu unedig ar faterion allweddol.

Dywedodd aelodau fod y defnydd o acronymau a natureang llawer o bynciau’n gysylltiedig â Chefnogi Pobl yngolygu nad yw rhai eitemau agenda yn berthnasol i bawbsy’n mynychu. Fel canlyniad mae CHC wedi creu esboniaduri’r sector ac yn annog y fforwm i fod â mwy o ran wrthlunio agendâu’r fforwm ar gyfer y dyfodol i sicrhau bod ycyfarfodydd mor berthnasol ag sydd modd i’r rhai sy’nmynychu.

Teimlai ymatebwyr fod angen gwella’r sylw i Cefnogi Poblar y wefan, ac y dylai’r wybodaeth gael ei diweddaru’nfwy rheolaidd, a rydym yn gweithio i wella hyn. Rydymhefyd yn datblygu cylchlythyr newydd i aelodau fydd yncysylltu’n agos i’r wefan gydag adran benodol ar CefnogiPobl i’w diweddaru ar faterion perthnasol.

Yn nhermau cynadleddau, digwyddiadau a hyfforddiant,awgrymodd aelodau y gallai pwyslais cryfach ar CefnogiPobl fod yn fuddiol. Byddwn yn gweithio gyda’r fforwm athîm Digwyddiadau CHC i ymchwilio sut y gellir euhintegreiddio ymhellach yn y dyfodol.

Hoffwn fanteisio ar y cyfle i ddiolch i’r holl ymatebwyr –edrychaf ymlaen at weithio gyda’r fforwm i weithredu’rnewidiadu hyn.

Matt KennedySwyddog Polisi: Gofal, Cymorth ac Iechyd Cymunedol

A ydym yn ‘Barod ar gyfer Heneiddio?’

7

GWLEIDYDDIAETH

Mae gan y cynllun ddau opsiwn. Yn un ohonynt byddLlywodraeth y Deyrnas Unedig yn benthyca hyd at 20% owerth yr annedd drwy fenthyciad ecwiti, ac mae’r llal yngynllun gwarant morgeisi ar gyfer adeiladau newydd llebydd y prynwr angen ernes o cyn lleied â 5%.

Cyhoeddodd Eric Pickles, Ysgrifennydd Llywodraeth Leol aChymunedau, na fyddai’r cynllun yn eithrio’n llwyr brynuail gartref.

Yng Nghymru, bydd y gyllideb yn gweld toriad o 0.2% yngnghyllideb refeniw Llywodraeth Cymru, gyda £161mpellach ar gael mewn cyfalaf. Croesawn y mesurau i hybu

fforddiadwyedd tai ac adeiladu, yn ogystal â’r £161mychwanegol yn hwb ‘pŵer gwario’ Llywodraeth Cymrudros y ddwy flynedd nesaf, ac rydym yn annogLlywodraeth Cymru i fuddsoddi hyn, ynghyd â’r swmcanlyniadol o £227m nad ydynt wedi ei ddyrannu eto,tuag at ‘Raglen Amddiffyn Lles’ i liniaru effeithiaugwaethaf y corwynt budd‐dal tai. Er y gallant fod ynwynebu toriad refeniw o 0.2%, bydd miloedd o bobl yngNghymru yn colli rhwng 14% a 25% yn dilyn cyflwyno’rdreth ‘ystafelloedd gwely’.

Mae mwy o wybodaeth ar gyllideb y Canghellor ar gael yn:www.hm‐treasury.gov.uk/budget2013.htm

Cyflwynodd George Osborne ei bedwaredd gyllideb fel Canghellorfis diwethaf, yn cynnwys lansio Cymorth Prynu, fydd ar gael oIonawr 2014 ar gyfer cartrefi hyd at £600,000.

Does dim byd tebyg i newyddion gwleidyddol wneudprynhawn Iau diflas yng Nghaerdydd yn ddifyrach; ondroedd hyn ychydig yn wahanol. Roedd ad‐drefnu cabinetLlywodraeth Cymru yn syndod i bawb, ond efallai mai’rffordd y cafodd y genedl wybod oedd efallai’r sioc fwyafgan i’r newyddion am yr apwyntiadau diweddaraf eucyfathrebu drwy Twitter.

Y newyddion mawr i’r sector tai yw bod Carl Sargeant ynawr yn gyfrifol am y portffolio Tai ac Adfywio sy’n awr yncynnwys Cynllunio, gyda’i ragflaenydd Huw Lewis yn caelrôl newydd Gweinidog Trechu Tlodi a Chymunedau, sy’ncynnwys Diwygio Lles.

Ar ôl gwneud argraff dda fel Cadeirydd y Pwyllgor Iechyd,Mark Drakeford yw’r Gweinidog Iechyd newydd, gyda LesleyGriffiths yn dod yn gyfrifol am Lywodraeth Leol a Chymunedau.

Mae mwy o wybodaeth ar ad‐drefnu’r Cabinet achyfrifoldebau’r Gweinidogion, ar gael ynwales.gov.uk/about/cabinet/cabinetm/?lang=en

Aaron HillCymhorthydd Polisi

Cyhoeddi Ad‐drefnu Cabinet drwy Twitter

Cyllideb 2013 –Beth sydd ar y gweill?

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NEWYDDION

Gallem ddweud wrthych ein bod yn cyfarfod y GweinidogTai ac Adfywio newydd ac yn trefnu taith o ymweliadau isafleoedd adfywio dan arweiniad tai gyda’n gilydd.Gallem ddweud wrthych ein bod yn galw am ‘RaglenAmddiffyn Lles’ sy’n cynyddu’r cyflenwad o daifforddiadwy ac yn cefnogi ymgyrch ‘Mae Budd‐daliadauyn Newid’ i roi gwybodaeth gywir ac amserol ar ynewidiadau a gwasanaeth cyngor ariannol cyflawn, a’nbod mewn trafodaethau gyda Llywodraeth Cymru iariannu ymchwil gynhwysfawr sy’n monitro effaithDiwygio Lles ar denantiaid a landlordiaid. Gallem ddweudwrthych ein bod yng nghamau olaf datblygu MenterAdeiladu – prosiect a gefnogir gan yr Undeb Ewropeaidda’r sector, yn dathlu sicrhau cyllid ar gyfer CREW AdfywioCymru, ynghyd â darparu portffolio o gyfleoedd aragendâu tai, iechyd a gofal cymdeithasol ehangach y gall ysector gyflawni arnynt i’r Gweinidog Iechyd newydd... neugallem ddweud wrthych ein bod wedi gorffen ein cyfnodymgynghori o bedwar mis ar gyfer Cynllun Corfforaethol2013‐16 lle gwnaethom fireinio’r cynllun i gynnwys yrymatebion a gafwyd.

Rydym yn rhoi blaenoriaeth i’n gwaith ar themâu CAMAUsef Cydweithio fel Tîm, Arloesedd, Menter Gymdeithasol,Adfywio ac Uno yn erbyn Tlodi. Pa bynnag ffordd yr ydymyn pecynnu’n neges, mae ein CAMAU yn rhoi aelodau athenantiaid yn gyntaf.

Sioned HughesCyfarwyddydd Polisi ac Adfywio

Huw Lewis AC yn agorMoneyline Merthyr Tudful

CAMAU i’ch rhoi chi yn gyntaf!

C ydweithreduA rloeseddM entrau CymdeithasolA dfywioU no yn erbyn Tlodi

Cafodd Moneyline Merthyr Tudful ei agor yn swyddogolgan Huw Lewis, yr AC lleol fis diwethaf. Mae Moneyline ynsefydliad dim‐er‐elw sy’n darparu benthyciadau fforddiadwya chyngor arian yn rhad ac am ddim i bobl y mae banciaua chymdeithasau adeiladu yn eu hanwybyddu fel arfer. Honyw’r chweched cangen i agor yng Nghymru a bydd ynamgen gwirioneddol yn lle benthycwyr arian llog uchel asiarcod benthyca.

Dywedodd Huw Lewis, a benodwyd yn ddiweddar ynWeinidog gyda chyfrifoldeb am Ddiwygio Lles: ‘Peidiwchag anobeithio am fenthycwyr llog uchel. Maent wedi bodyma o’r blaen, yn lladron pocedi ymysg pobl y gymunedyma. Bydd gwaith tîm rhwng Moneyline a’r undeb gredydyn diogelu miloedd o deuluoedd rhag cael eu gwthio drosy dibyn i sefyllfa lle na allant fforddio dod i ben.’

Hyd yma, mae canghennau Moneyline yng Nghymru wedidosbarthu dros 13,000 benthyciad yn werth dros £6m.Caiff cwsmeriaid eu hannog i agor cyfrif cynilo, gyda brondraean yn dewis gwneud hynny, gan gynilo cyfanswm o£900,000 rhyngddynt.

Caiff cyngor arian annibynnol am ddim hefyd ei gynnig ibob cwsmer, p’un a gawsant gynnig benthyciad ai peidio.Caiff y prosiect cyngor arian ei redeg gan gynghorwyrarian CHC a ariannwyd gan y Loteri Fawr a Dŵr Cymru.

9

NEWYDDION YN GRYNO

Wythnos Tai Gwledig Cadarnhawyd y cynhelir Wythnos Tai Gwledig CHC yn yrwythnos yn dechrau ar 20 Mai. Bydd Diwrnod StrategolTai Gwledig, gyda’r Gweinidog Tai newydd Carl Sargeantyn bresennol, yng Ngwesty Castell Aberhonddu ar 23 Mai.Mwy o wybodaeth i ddilyn.

Menter Adeiladu –Meddwl yn wahanol,gwneud yn wahanol!Rydym o fewn wythnosau o gyhoeddi lansiad MenterAdeiladu, prosiect a ariannir gan yr Undeb Ewropeaidd aca gaiff ei reoli gan Cartrefi Cymunedol Cymru. Ei nod ywcefnogi mentrau cymdeithasol a chymdeithasau tai ibartneru ac angori cyfoeth mewn cymunedaudifreintiedig. Bydd y prosiect yn cefnogi 50 sefydliad ac ynsefydlu pump menter gymdeithasol newydd o fewnardaloedd y rhaglen Cydgyfeirio. I gael mwy o wybodaethneu os hoffech gymryd rhan, cysylltwch â sioned‐[email protected].

Llywodraeth Cymru’nlansio safonau diwygiedigIechyd a DigartrefeddMae CHC yn croesawu lansiad y Safonau Iechyd aDigartrefedd Newydd, a gyhoeddwyd gan Syr ManselAylward yng Nghynhadledd Flynyddol Cymorth Cymru.Mae’n hollbwysig sicrhau y gall grwpiau bregus gaelmynediad i ofal iechyd. Mae’r rhai sy’n profi unrhywgyfnod o fod yn ddigartref yn debygol o fod â phatrymaublêr o fyw sy’n effeithio ar eu hiechyd meddyliol achorfforol. Bydd y safonau hyn, a gafodd eu mireinio, wrthdrin anghenion pobl ddigartref a grwpiau eraill bregus.Mae'r safonau ar gael ar wefan CHC.

Rhwydwaith NewyddSwyddogion LlywodraethiantY Rhwydwaith Swyddogion Llywodraethiant yw’r ychwanegiaddiweddaraf i Rwydweithiau a Fforymau CHC, ar ôl i’r grŵpbenderfynu yn y Gynhadledd Lywodraethiant ddiweddar ibasio gweinyddiaeth y grŵp i CHC. Cynhelir y cyfarfodnesaf ar 15 Mai yn swyddfa Cymdeithas Tai Dewis Cyntafym Mhenarth. Mae manylion pellach ar gael ar y wefan.

Rhoi gwybod i chi beth sy’n digwydd

Lansiwyd Gwybodaeth Aelodau Bwrdd ar ei newydd weddym mis Chwefror a chawsom adborth cadarnhaol ganaelodau bwrdd, prif weithredwyr a swyddogionllywodraethiant. Mae’r cylchlythyr yn agor yn y neges e‐bost ei hunan ac mae’r dolenni yn cysylltu’n uniongyrcholgyda gwefannau perthnasol, sy’n golygu nad yw’n rhaid iaelodau fewngofnodi i wefan CHC i ddarllen y cylchlythyr.Caiff cylchlythyr newydd CHC i aelodau, uniad o’rGwybodaeth misol a’r E‐wybodaeth wythnosol, hefyd eilansio yn nes ymlaen y mis hwn. Os oes gennych unrhywadborth ar y cylchlythyrau newydd, cysylltwch â bethan‐[email protected].


SAFBWYNT AELOD

Tirlun Newidiol

Mae’r sector tai wedi newid yn barhaus yr holl amser ybûm yn gweithio yn y sector tai. Fel sector, buom ynneilltuol o dda am ymateb i’r newid yma. Sefydlwyd GrŵpTai Pennaf yn 2003 mewn ymateb i’r newidiadau addisgwylid o fewn y sector a’r angen i fod yn fwy hyblyg iddiwallu gwahanol anghenion tai. Ar y pryd roedd trisefydliad yn rhan o Grŵp, a dros y deng mlynedddiwethaf mae wedi tyfu gydag ychwanegiad pedwar is‐gorff newydd, gan adlewyrchu amrywiaeth cynyddolgwaith y Grŵp i ddiwallu gwahanol anghenion tai.

PenAlyn a PenElwy yw’r ychwanegiadau diweddaraf i’rgrŵp. Mae PenAlyn yn darparu gwasanaethau cynnal achadw ymatebol a chynlluniedig ar gyfer tenantiaid yGrŵp a PhenElwy yn darparu gwasanaethau i lesddeiliaida chyrff allanol, gan gynhyrchu incwm i’r Grŵp. Y prifsbardun dros fewnoli gwasanaethau cynnal a chadw oeddymateb i geisiadau gan denantiaid i ehangu gweithgareddauein gweithlu uniongyrchol presennol, oherwydd lefeluchel o fodlonrwydd gydag ansawdd y gwasanaeth addarperir gan y tîm; rhoi mwy o reolaeth i’r Grŵp amddarparu gwasanaethau cynnal a chadw; a sicrhauarbedion drwy ostwng taliadau TAW. Aeth yr hollwasanaeth yn fyw o 26 Tachwedd y llynedd ac rydymeisoes yn derbyn adborth cadarnhaol gan ein tenantiaid.

Dros y flwyddyn ddiwethaf mae’r Grŵp hefyd wedi datblyguasiantaeth gosodiadau cymdeithasol, ynghyd â gwasanaethrheoli ar gyfer landlordiaid sector preifat yn gweithreduyn ardal Gogledd Cymru, sy’n gweithredu dan frand Offa.

Mae’r Grŵp wedi parhau i ddatblygu prosiectau i ddiwallugwahanol anghenion tai gyda’n pumed cynllun GofalYchwanegol yn cael ei ddatblygu yn Llandudno ar hyn obryd, agor ein cartref nyrsio cyntaf ym Mae Colwyn,darparu prosiectau dibreswyl, ein hymgyfraniad parhausmewn gweithgareddau adfywio, yn arbennig yn Ardal

Adfywio Strategol Gogledd Cymru, ynghyd â pharhau iddatblygu prosiectau tai cymdeithasol prif ffrwd agweithgareddau cymunedol i denantiaid. Mae’r Grŵphefyd wedi buddsoddi’n sylweddol mewn technolegaugwyrdd i ostwng costau ynni i denantiaid.

Sefydlwyd ODEL, menter gymdeithasol newydd, ynseiliedig ar ein prif bwrpas: Agor Drysau ‐ Gwella Bywydau.Mae ffocws dechreuol hyn ar ein prosiectau Byw âChymorth ar gyfer pobl ifanc, yn cynnwys achrediadcenedlaethol ar gyfer modiwlau gweithgaredd a gweithiogyda phobl hŷn yng nghyswllt nifer o brosiectau rhyng‐genhedlaeth ar draws Gogledd Cymru. Mae cynlluniau’nbodoli i ddatblygu’r cynllun ymhellach yn y dyfodol igynnig amrywiaeth o wasanaethau ychwanegol.

Yn fewnol, mae’r Grŵp wedi newid ei ddull o reoliperfformiad, gan ddefnyddio dull sy’n canolbwyntio arganlyniadau ar gyfer perfformiad, yn unol gyda’rFframwaith Rheoleiddio. Fodd bynnag nid i’r ‘CanlyniadauCyflenwi’ a benderfynwyd gan Lywodraeth Cymru yr ydymyn gweithio, ond canlyniadau a benderfynwyd yn dilynproses ymgynghori gyda’n tenantiaid a’n rhanddeiliaid.Mae’r canlyniadau hyn yn awr yn ffocws eingweithgareddau cynllunio busnes a hunanasesiad.

Mae newid yn gyson o fewn y sector, ond ni fu erioed morgyflym neu mor sylweddol â’r sefyllfa y cawn ein hunainynddi ar hyn o bryd. Fel pob cymdeithas tai arall, rydymyn gorfod ymdopi gydag effeithiau Diwygio Lles,ymchwilio dulliau ariannu newydd, cyflawni gofynion ysystem reoleiddiol a datblygu partneriaethau i symudymlaen. Ond fel Grŵp... rydym yn barod amdani!

Graham WorthingtonPrif Weithredydd Grŵp

Cartrefi gwledig newydd, Gwernaffield

Trosglwyddo tai teulu newydd yn Nhreuddyn

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DIWEDDARIAD CREW

Diweddariad CREW

Mae ein rhaglen ymchwil yn ganolog i waith CREW, abyddwn yn cynnal darn sylweddol o ymchwil ym mhob uno’r tair blynedd nesaf. Ein prosiect ymchwil canolog eleniyw astudiaeth ‘Lle Dwfn’ Tredegar, sy’n datblygu darluncyflawn o Dredegar a dynodi cyfleoedd i greu cymunedgynaliadwy erbyn 2030. Ynghyd â’n prosiect ymchwilcraidd blynyddol, rydym hefyd yn cynnal proseictauymchwil seiliedig ar ymarfer sy’n sylfaen ar gyfer einhastudiaethau achos, pecynnau cymorth a’r rhaglenhyfforddiant a digwyddiadau.

Rydym wrthi’n cynllunio ein rhaglen digwyddiadau am yflwyddyn i ddod a bydd manylion ar gael ar ein gwefan yny dyfodol agos. Yn ogystal â threfnu cynhadledd genedlaetholar adfywio sydd ar y gweill ar gyfer mis Tachwedd, rydymhefyd yn trefnu cynhadledd ar adfywio gwledig a chynhadleddar ddatblygiad economaidd blaengar. Yn ogystal â’rcynadleddau pwysig hyn, byddwn yn trefnu cyfres oseminarau safle a min nos drwy gydol y flwyddyn, megisein darlith amserol iawn ddiweddar gan Julia Unwin arddiwygio lles a thlodi, sydd bellach ar gael ar ein gwefan.

Mae ein hyfforddiant hefyd yn mynd rhagddo ar hyd yflwyddyn, gyda pharhad ein rhaglen ArweinyddiaethCarbon Isel, hyfforddiant ar sefydlu Ardaloedd GwellaBusnes, a hyfforddiant ar fonitro a gwerthuso.

Mae ein gwefan newydd, a lansiwyd ddiwedd y llynedd,yn gynyddol boblogaidd a byddwn yn dal ati i ychwaneguadnoddau y medrir eu cyrchu am ddim dros y misoedd ablynyddoedd nesaf. Un o’r adnoddau newydd yr ydym ynei gynllunio ar hyn o bryd yw ychwanegiad llyfryddiaethadfywio y medrir ei chwilio ar y wefan. Rydym hefyd yngwneud defnydd helaeth o Twitter i godi ymwybyddiaetho’n gwaith a’n digwyddiadau.

Yn ogystal â’n Rhwydwaith Trefi Bach presennol, byddHayley MacNamara, fydd yn gweithio i CREW a CartrefiCymunedol Cymru, yn arwain ar y Rhwydwaith Adfywiodan Arweiniad Tai a ail‐lansiwyd yn ddiweddar. Maegennym hefyd gynlluniau i wneud Cydweithfa SgiliauAdfywio Cymru yn rhwydwaith a noddir gan CREW, acmae gwaith yn mynd rhagddo hefyd i ystyried sefydluRhwydwaith Adfywio dan arweiniad Treftadaeth.

I gael yr wybodaeth ddiweddaraf ar holl weithgareddauCREW, edrychwch ar www.regenwales.org a’n dilyn arTwitter @CREWRegenWales.

Dr Mark Lang, Uwch YmchwilyddCREW Adfywio Cymru

Julia Unwin, PrifWeithredydd SefydliadJoseph Rowntree gyda'rAthro Dave Adamson, PrifWeithredydd CREWAdfywio Cymru. I ddarllendarlith Julia ar DdiwygioLles a Thlodi, ewch iwww.regenwales.org

Mae hwn yn amser prysur i CREW Adfywio Cymru, ac mae’r tîm wrthi’n gweithio iddatblygu ein rhaglen am y tair blynedd nesaf. Mae hwn yn gyfnod economaidd anodd,a bydd CREW yn gweithio i gynyddu ei gyfraniad cadarnhaol i adfywio yng Nghymru.

“Yn ogystal â threfnu cynhadledd genedlaetholar adfywio sydd ar y gweill ar gyfer misTachwedd, rydym hefyd yn trefnu cynhadleddar adfywio gwledig a chynhadledd arddatblygiad economaidd blaengar. ”

Cynadleddau:GORFFENNAF 2013

11/12 Cynhadledd Adnoddau

Gwesty MetropoleLLANDRINDOD

Cyrsiau Hyfforddiant:


HYDREF 2013

10/11 Un Gynhadledd Tai Fawr

Gwesty MetropoleLLANDRINDOD

DIGWYDDIADAU

I gael mwy o wybodaeth am ein cyrsiau hyfforddiant, cysylltwch â jenny‐[email protected] os gwelwch yn dda.

Dan Un ToMae Grŵp CHC wedi lansio blog newydd ynddiweddar i rannu sylwadau ar dai dim‐er‐elw,gofal ac adfywio ar sianel arall eto. Bydd y blogyn cryfhau ein presenoldeb ar‐lein a bydd ynategu’r cylchlythyr bythefnosol newydd. Byddwnyn cyhoeddi blogiau gwesteion yn ogystal âphostiau blog gan staff Grŵp CHC. Croeso i chi eiddarllen, rhoi sylwadau ac ymuno â'r sgwrs!

www.chcgroup.blogspot.co.uk

MEDI 2013

25 Disgyblaeth a chwynion CAERDYDD

TACHWEDD 2013

13 Cyflog cyfartal CAERDYDD

TACHWEDD 2013

21/22 Cynhadledd Tai Flynyddol

Gwesty HiltonCAERDYDD

RHAGFYR 2013

4/5 Cynhadledd Cysylltiadau

Cyhoeddus a ChyfathrebuGwesty Metropole

LLANDRINDOD

MEHEFIN 2013

3 Cyfrinachau timau sy’n perfformio’n dda CAERDYDD3 Rheoli ymddygiad anodd CAERDYDD26 Newid telerau ac amodau cyflogaeth CAERDYDD

MAI 2013

15 Diweddariad ar gyfraith achos CAERDYDD21 Sefydlu gardd gymunedol BAE COLWYN22 Sefydlu gardd gymunedol CAERDYDD24 Rheoli ôl‐ddyledion rhent: sgyrsiau ar y ‘dreth

ystafelloedd gwely’ a chredyd cynhwysol CAERDYDD

GORFFENNAF 2013

2 Sicrhau cymdogaethau creadigol CAERDYDD4 Cyflwyniad i gymdeithasau tai CAERDYDD

I gael mwy o wybodaeth am ein cynadleddau, cysylltwch â rhian‐[email protected] os gwelwch yn dda.

Dilynwch ni ar @CHCymru and @CHCEvents

LinkedIn – Diolcham eich adborth!Rydym wedi cynnal ymchwil ar ddefnydd LinkedInyn sector tai cymdeithasol Cymru, a chawsomymateb cadarnhaol gan aelodau. Mae LinkedInyn ddyfais rhwydweithio proffesiynol. Mae gan76% o’r rhai a arolygwyd gyfrif LinkedIn ac ynawyddus i ryngweithio gyda CHC ac aelodaueraill drwy’r safle rhwydweithio cymdeithasolyma. Byddwn felly yn cynyddu ein gweithgareddar LinkedIn dros yr wythnosau nesaf a hefyd ynsefydlu grŵp trafod dechreuol. Os oes gennychunrhyw sywladau ar ddefnydd LinkedIn gan CHCneu unrhyw sianeli cyfryngau cfymdeithasol aral,cysylltwch â bethan‐[email protected].

EBRILL 2013

19 Seminar Gwerth am Arian CAERDYDD25 Asesiadau o’r Effaith ar Gydraddoldeb BAE COLWYN

published by the community housing cymru group are … · 2014. 1. 9. · 2 april | may edition...

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