"Historic day": reacting to government's commitment

Cymdeithas yr Iaith has welcomed a commitment from Siân Gwenllian, Cabinet Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government, to "introduce proposals to legislate for the Right to Adequate Housing" as she outlined her priorities in the Senedd this afternoon (Tuesday, 9 June).

There were also commitments to introduce rent controls and to legislate to ensure a community right to buy.

Jeff Smith, chair of Cymdeithas yr Iaith's sustainable communities group, said:

"The people of Wales have been campaigning for decades, with campaigners at times being imprisoned as part of the campaign, to ensure appropriate homes in prosperous Welsh-speaking communities, so today is a historic day. We look forward to seeing the the government honouring its commitment to legislate for the right to a home and a community right to buy.

"We look forward to a meeting with the Minister soon, and we are confident that the policymaking work to inform the legislation will be a collaborative process. After such a long wait and such a long campaign, this is our opportunity to create a Property Act on our terms as the people of Wales: an Act that will reset the nature of our property system, ensure that the local housing maeket is no longer overwhelmed by the free market, and create a planning system that works from the ground up, meets local need and works to support the Welsh language."

"During a rally on the fourth of July in Porthmadog calling on the government to "turn the tide" for the Welsh language, representatives from communities across Wales, including campaigners such as Enfys Llwyd, Sioned Elin and Helen Greenwood, will have a minute each to talk about why the government needs to take urgent action for their communities.”