Dr Ian Thomas, WISERD Research Fellow and facilitator of WISERD’s Wales Housing and Homelessness Research Network, has submitted his recommendation on what he believes should be the Local Government, Housing and Planning Committee’s main priorities during the Seventh Senedd. Providing these views in response to the latest consultation will help to inform Senedd Cymru with its strategic planning and forward work programme.
In his response, Dr Thomas sets out two substantive priorities for the Seventh Senedd: to develop and publish a refreshed Ending Homelessness in Wales Action Plan and to improve homelessness and housing support data collection, transparency, and use.
Dr Thomas suggests:
Improving the homelessness data landscape in Wales, including both the availability of data and their use for evaluation and research, would strengthen the evidence base needed to monitor progress towards ending homelessness, while also supporting accountability, learning and continuous improvement across the sector.
With regard to the action plan, Dr Thomas’ response emphasises the need to involve people with lived experience and front-line organisations in developing a refreshed plan to help ensure that strategic priorities are grounded in the realities of homelessness and service delivery.
Both priorities reflect areas where parliamentary scrutiny could play an important part in supporting both meaningful and achievable policy reform.