Ok since the last GM I have been dealing with ever more accommodation advice and complaints.

While at the same time organising Housing Week which I hope some of you have noticed this week.

As a result of some of the issues I tabled at Student Support Committee, we now have 3 groups that will action some of the big issues in support.

 

• The Accommodation Sub-Committee will be a body responsible for providing responses to short, medium and long term accommodation issues. Having an accredited on-campus Student Lettings Service released at the same time as the University Penglais Farm development coming online could be a solution to Aberystwyth's long standing accommodation woes. Making this key to the strategic aims of the Accommodation Sub-Committee is vital to all us at the Guild.
• The Mental Health Action Planning group, is soon to be set up in January and I intend to push for a comprehensive mental health policy including provision for the professional Mental Health Advisor that I have petitioned for in October. At the moment student support is going through some rearrangement, hiring a 'Student Advisor' and an 'Accessibility Advisor' but I still think they need more specific support expertise in the Mental Health arena.
• The final group is one around Student Financial Support, so that it works off one form 'to rule them all' so that you don't have to provide evidence 3 times to get support from 3 different pots. I am also going to try and investigate better options than the current £10 Aber Card top up emergency provision that University provides.

 

Housing Week

 

The plan was advertise the survey, encourage people to get some advise and to get students engaged with how we can tackle the problem properties, agents and landlords.

I shouted at a camera for 5 mins (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XLCaeq2ysuA), talked to people at the stall and every morning had got the laptops set up in the library – whether anyone filled in the survey still remains to be seen.

While I was away on Tuesday, I tried to do some last minute marketing yesterday for the remaining events. Today's, Tricks of the Trade workshop could have been better attended to say the least, but I'm hoping some intelligent, informed people like yourselves will be interested in this extra event I managed to secure this week

11am in the Main Hall/Joint tomorrow (Fri 9th)  is your opportunity to question the HMO office and get some answers as to what Ceredigion County Council is doing to maintain standards in the private sector. Even if its specific issues with your property that you want to highlight or just know what the procedure is if these guys get involved, then please come along.

Will be informative, with genuine expertise on display, and hopefully challenging for all involved.

Poncho out!