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Placemaking Case Studies

Bron Afon Community Housing

Bron Afon Community Housing

At a glance

Location type: Mix of towns, rural and old industrial.

Residents: Many living in difficult circumstances through lack of employment opportunities. Significant number of older people. Many health problems and life expectancy very low compared to more affluent neighbouring districts.

Stock size and type: 8,000 homes, including 900 for retirement living. Most built from 1960 onwards.

Background

Bron Afon took transfer of the great majority of its stock as a transfer from Torfaen Council some 15 years ago. It still works in a concentrated area just 12 miles long and 8 miles wide that forms the easternmost of the traditional Welsh mining valleys. There are three main towns with differing characteristics. In the north is Blaenavon, a former coal mining town built for the workers and their families but now de-industrialised. In the centre is the main town, Pontypool, which has also lost much of its former industry and prosperity. And in the south is Wales’s only New Town, Cwmbran, begun in the 1960s. The association has about a quarter of the local housing stock – one of the highest percentages in the country.

Bron Afon is structured as a community mutual, meaning its members ‘own’ it. Any local person can become a member: that includes tenants of course, but also anyone living in Torfaen with an interest in social housing.

Membership has reduced somewhat over the years as fewer people today come forward but there is still a strong core of more than 2000 members. The structure is important as the organisation sees itself as a key community player, taking decisions that are right for local people and not driven only by efficiency.

Local support

Patch sizes for community housing officers are kept deliberately small (around 300 households each) so that officers can really get to know their tenants (now called contract holders under Welsh law). Many staff members are also tenants. The community housing team works alongside support officers who delivers a variety of support services.

To that end, the association works closely with the local authority and other partners including the Aneurin Bevan University Health Board and Torfaen Voluntary Alliance. As the largest social landlord in the area, it also has a seat on important regional partnerships where it can influence coordinated strategies.

The association’s director of communities and placemaking Christine Duggan comments that the approach “is not always the cheapest option – but it pays dividends in the longer term and is a key part of Bron Afon’s mutual culture.”

Dedicated safeguarding team

Sadly, the borough has seen an increase in domestic abuse cases recently, and it has its share of other social problems. A dedicated safeguarding team can take referrals from the association’s own direct labour organisation, concerned neighbours and others, and can share its information with partners.

It also works with adult and children’s social care, MAPPA and MARAC. Bron Afon takes a restorative approach to neighbour problems where appropriate, working with the Welsh Restorative Approach Partnership. Improvements are measured via customer satisfaction, monitoring complaints, and reduced numbers of ASB cases.

Contractor contributions

Some funding for the community pot comes from a particular source in Wales. The law requires large contractors to contribute either in cash or kind to communities: in the last year the association has benefited with about £60k from this. Contractors will sometimes offer work such as repainting as an in-kind alternative.

Employment opportunities

As one of the largest employers in the district, the association also sees opportunities to make inroads into the lack of well-paid work locally. This year it is funding seven apprenticeships. One is in tenancy support skills, learning to advise tenants and work on a project to foster healthier relationships between neighbours. Another is for an electrician; and a third to work in the finance department. One of the posts is held by the child of a tenant.

Resident involvement

The reciprocal basis for the association extends to resident involvement. A new strategy called Customer Voice has drawn in more than 800 customers to help inform officers about issues and to work with the association, for example on improving communications.

“The key”, says Christine Duggan, is “listening, hearing properly and taking action on what people have told us.” Treating customers as peers, and as part of the decision-making process, extends to having several tenants on the board.

• Founding culture of mutuality and community involvement.

• Using resources, including staffing, at very local level to support communities.

• Partnership on the ground with health and other organisations, and at strategic regional level.

• Specialist staff dealing with difficult problems, such as safeguarding, alongside other agencies.

• Using position as large local employer to develop training and skills opportunities.

• Tenant involvement at all levels including board.

This section includes information about the local area from the Office of National Statistics, including deprivation statistics for Lower Layer Super Output Areas (LSOAs). LSOAs provide measures of socio-economic conditions by geographic area.

Bron Afon covers the local authority district of Torfaen, with 3 main towns*.

Income deprivation4 LSOAs within 10% most deprived neighbourhoods
Employment deprivation3 LSOAs within 10% most deprived neighbourhoods
Education, skills and training8 LSOAs within 10% most deprived neighbourhoods
Health5 LSOAs within 10% most deprived neighbourhoods
Community safety7 LSOAs within 10% most deprived neighbourhoods
Access to services0 LSOAs within 10% most deprived neighbourhoods
Physical environment4 LSOAs within 10% most deprived neighbourhoods
Housing0 LSOAs within 10% most deprived neighbourhoods
Overall3 of its 60 LSOAs are in the 10% most deprived in Wales
* Welsh Index of Multiple Deprivation ranking 2019

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This project was made possible by funds provided by the NSW Department of Communities and Justice (DCJ) under the NSW Community Housing Industry Development Strategy (IDS). The NSW Community Housing IDS is a partnership between CHIA NSW and DCJ.