Powys housing policy is ‘impacting the elderly’
Cllr Phil Pritchard said that bungalows that were “actually built specifically for the older generation as sheltered housing” are now available to all ages.
Speaking at the latest full Town Council meeting on Wednesday night, Cllr Pritchard said: “They decided to change that policy so that all housing, no matter what it is, anybody can have anything.
“You can go around this town, and every town in Powys, and see issues where people of 30-35 years of age are in sheltered housing, as we call it.
“When money was applied for, particularly in Oldford in the late 60s, it was specifically for bungalows for the over 60s in sheltered housing.
“I don’t think they have the right to use it for anybody else. There are so many people on the waiting list for housing, elderly people, who are in upstairs properties and normally they would be moved into a bungalow, but it doesn’t happen anymore.”
Cllr Pritchard highlighted one case where a resident was “stuck in his house for two years” before he passed away due to having 28 steps up to his house. He said that he had complained on the resident’s behalf but nothing was done.
Town Mayor, Cllr Phil Owen, pointed out: “In Welshpool, there is quite a lot of housing for elderly, probably more than most towns about our size.”
The meeting was attended by Welshpool county councillor, Graham Breeze, who agreed that “there have been changes over the years”, and he advised the Town Council to contact County Hall for clarification.
Meanwhile, MyWelshpool has obtained a copy of the policy which does confirm that a younger person may be eligible for accommodation that is normally reserved for someone deemed ‘elderly’ based on their medical needs.
This is the Older Persons’s Accommodation extract from the Homes in Powys Allocation Policy, which was approved in June 2022:
Many ‘Homes in Powys’ partners have homes that have been designed and are managed with older people in mind. This includes, for example, properties in schemes supported by warden-style services or homes without steps to the doors.
Applicants with evidenced medical/accessibility needs that can best be met by older persons’ accommodation, irrespective of age, may also be offered a home more usually used for older people.
Examples include where an applicant’s accessibility needs match those of an available property in a development of older persons’ accommodation.
Each partner landlord has its own approach to how it lets accommodation designed and managed with an eye to the needs of older people. However, in all cases offers of homes in schemes or developments aimed primarily at older people, for example sheltered schemes, will respect the make-up of these communities.
The ‘Homes in Powys’ partners are social housing providers and include:
Clwyd Alyn Housing Association
Grwp Cynefin
Melin Homes
Barcud
Newydd Housing Association
Pobl
Powys County Council
Wales & West Housing
Hafan Cymru
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