Issue - meetings

The report of the Director – Neighbourhoods is attached.

It was RESOLVED that:

a)               the revised Empty Homes Strategy 2024-2029 be approved; and

b)               the Director – Neighbourhoods be authorised to make minor revisions to the Strategy during its lifespan in accordance with the Constitution.

The Cabinet Portfolio Holder for Planning and Housing, Councillor Upton presented the report of the Director – Neighbourhoods, which detailed the revised Empty Homes Strategy for 2024-2029.

Councillor Upton stated that in 2019, Cabinet had approved the Council’s first Empty Homes Strategy, which was now due for renewal. Cabinet noted that in December 2023, there were 889 empty homes in the Borough, of which 498 had been empty for over six months or more. Councillor Upton felt that given the acute need for housing, this situation was both morally and economically wrong, and referred to the detrimental effect that empty homes could have on local residents and neighbourhoods.

Councillor Upton confirmed that the Communities Scrutiny Group reviewed the Strategy in July 2023, and had been very supportive. Since 2019, procedures and protocols had been developed and relationships forged with various agencies to help to get empty properties back into use.  One particular success had been the development of a specific web page providing advice and information, together with the development of an empty homes database.

Councillor Upton concluded by advising that the Strategy was working well, with 74 long term empty properties brought back into use through active intervention by this Council, and during the same period, a further 2,400 other properties had been brought back into use, with the Council’s advice and support.

In seconding the recommendation, Councillor J Wheeler welcomed the report and referred to the importance of getting empty homes back into use, and the blight that they caused to neighbourhoods. Councillor Wheeler referred to the advice and support that was available and asked residents to report potential empty properties to the Council.

It was RESOLVED that:

a)               the revised Empty Homes Strategy 2024-2029 be approved; and

b)               the Director – Neighbourhoods be authorised to make minor revisions to the Strategy during its lifespan in accordance with the Constitution.