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Cardiff Council Update: 21 October 2022

Here's your Friday update, covering: new rights for tenants as Renting Homes (Wales) Act 2016 comes into force; a report highlights progress in our Social Services; and a one-off ‘Friday Night Market' at our historic indoor market. 

 

New rights for tenants as Renting Homes (Wales) Act 2016 comes into force

One of the biggest changes in the social and private rented housing sectors will be introduced in December with the implementation of the Renting Homes (Wales) Act 2016.

The Act comes into force on December 1, 2022 and will apply to councils, housing associations, supported housing and private accommodation and has major implications, including giving greater security to tenants and placing new responsibilities on landlords.

Cardiff Council's Cabinet discussed the implications of the new Act for the Council at their meeting yesterday (Thursday, October 20) and approved the proposed approach to implementing the changes required, including the introduction of new ‘occupation contracts' for all council tenants and changes to procedures to comply with the new legislation.

They include:

  • Renaming local authorities and registered social landlords as ‘community landlords', and tenants as ‘contract holders'
  • Ensuring contract holders are entitled to two months' notice of any rent increase
  • Giving contract holders enhanced succession rights. Under the new legislation, up to two successions will be allowed
  • Extending rights to joint tenants who will be able to leave a property without ending a contract and new tenants added if, for example, a relationship breaks down and one partner leaves the property
  • Giving councils the power to repossess an abandoned property without a court order
  • Introducing a repair standard that sets out how to determine if a property is fit for human habitation

In the private rented sector, which plays a significant role in the council's housing strategy to improve access to affordable homes, landlords will now have to give their contract holders six months' notice of eviction. But this notice cannot be served within the first six months of the contract, effectively meaning a contract holder who does not breach the contract can live securely for 12 months.

Read more here:

https://www.cardiffnewsroom.co.uk/releases/c25/30102.html

 

Report highlights progress in Cardiff's Social Services

Cardiff's Social Services have been able to make significant progress, despite a continuing increase in both the numbers of people needing support in the city and the complexity of the issues that they are facing.

The Local Authority Social Services Report 2021/22 draws focus to a wide range of work being done across Adult and Children Services. The report includes the results of the regional market stability report which provides information to support the identification of priorities for the coming year & the impact of the increase in service demand to date.

Highlights from Adult Services include:

  • Strengthening our Independent Living Services.
  • World Health Organisation (WHO) Age Friendly City Network acceptance.
  • Ageing Well Strategy developed.
  • Re-opening of Day Centres.
  • Development of the Cardiff Cares Academy

Highlights from Children's Services include:

  • Launch of the Intervention and Reviewing Hub.
  • Family Drug and Alcohol pilot began.
  • Implementation of Youth Justice improvement plan.
  • Increasing use of kinship arrangements to keep children and young people closer to home

Read more here:

https://www.cardiffnewsroom.co.uk/releases/c25/30109.html

 

One-off ‘Friday Night Market' at historic indoor market

The popular ‘Night Market' at Cardiff's historic indoor market will return for a one-off Friday-night event, complete with live music and an eclectic range of independent traders.

Part of ‘City of Arcades' week, which will see more than thirty-five events taking place across Cardiff's seven iconic Victorian and Edwardian arcades, the event from  6pm-9pm on November 4th  will be the first ‘Night Market' to take place on a Friday night.

The market is one of Cardiff's most iconic landmark buildings. Grade II*-listed, it was opened in May 1891 and is located on the site of what was a former farmers' market and also Cardiff jail.

For more information on City of Arcades events, visit:

https://thecityofarcades.com/