A Plaid Cymru Senedd Member has called on the Labour Government to turn their attention to Houses of Multiple Occupation (HMOs) following a death of a man in Ebbw Vale.
Peredur Owen Griffiths, who covers the South Wales East region, raised the controversy surrounding the Park Hotel in Ebbw Vale during Business Questions in the Senedd.
The hotel is now used as temporary accommodation and earlier this month a 41-year-old man was found unresponsive there. Another man was subsequently arrested on suspicion of murder.
Local residents, who have organised a public meeting since the incident, say it is the third death at the hotel.
Mr Owen Griffiths said: “In the past few weeks, major concerns have been expressed about the safety of an Ebbw Vale hotel that is acting as a House of Multiple Occupation.
“A man was found dead at the Park Hotel in Waunlwyd, and another was arrested on suspicion of his murder. Local residents who were part of a subsequent public meeting to discuss their fears about the safety of the hotel say it's the third death reported at the hotel.
“Their fears are not unfounded, as I'm told two local authorities, Merthyr Tydfil and Blaenau Gwent, have now withdrawn their clients from the facility.”
Peredur added: “From my work as a Senedd Member since last year, I'm aware that failures concerning HMO regulation and their proliferation has led to a concentration of such facilities, and at least one vulnerable person being housed in unsuitable accommodation with tragic results.
“Is it time to revisit the regulation and guidance? Because the status quo does seem to be failing communities and the vulnerable clients at HMOs. Can we therefore have a Government statement as a matter of urgency on this please?”
In reply, Lesley Griffiths MS said it was a matter for local authorities.
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