Agenda item

The Committee, in accordance with the discussion undertaken at its meeting held on the 11^th May, 2018 received a power-point presentation on the progress made on implementing the recommendations of its previous Task and Finish Group in 2014/15 on Empty Properties within Carmarthenshire, the main aims of which were to:-

Ø  Identify and evaluate the current activities undertaken by the Housing and Public Protection Division;

Ø  Identify potential improvements and alternative delivery models;

Ø  Formulate recommendations for consideration by the Executive Board.

The following questions/issues were raised on the presentation:-

·        In response to a question on the £49k repair costs to one of the properties identified in the report, the Empty Property Co-ordinator outlined the level of works undertaken to the property in question and advised whilst it may have been possible for a private individual to commission those at a reduced rate, the Council had established a contractor framework and Contract Procedure Rules to be used/followed when awarding contracts for works.  It was noted the Council’s Contractor Framework had been subject to a competitive tendering process and costs were kept to a minimum.

·        In response to a question on the potential for Section 106 income to be used for renovating empty properties, the Acting Head of Homes and Safer Communities advised that allocation of that income was subject to the submission of a business case and, if successful, was used in accordance with council policy to purchase homes in areas of need.

·        With regard to a question on the use of the Simple Lettings Agency, it was confirmed it had been established, and was operated by the Council to assist prospective tenants to secure tenancies. It also promoted the ethos of helping people to help themselves by signposting them to other letting agencies.

·        Reference was made to the varying lengths of times which homes could remain empty, ranging from a few months to a number of years and if there were any incentives available to the Council to encourage home owners to reduce that timeframe for example, via the council tax.

The Acting Head of Homes and Safer Communities advised that although that possibility had been discussed there was a view it could, especially in the short-term result in a reduction in council tax revenue for the authority. However, he assured discussions were continually on-going to identify ways of reducing those time-frames.

·        In response to a question on the Home Improvement Loan and Houses into Homes Scheme, it was confirmed the Council had received grants from the Welsh Government totalling £1.9m, over three phases, enabling 70 properties to be renovated. Each loan issued was subject to repayment within a two year period and, to date, nearly £1m had been repaid to the fund which was then recycled to provide more loans.

·       It was confirmed that of the approximate 10 properties visited by the Task and Finish Group as part of its investigations all, apart from the 4 detailed within the presentation, had been renovated.

·       It was confirmed that since 2010/11 when the number of empty homes brought back into use totalled 60, that had increased year on year reaching 184 for 2017/18.

·       Reference was made to the 2,554 private sector properties within Carmarthenshire which had been empty for six months or more and to whether those were listed by ward and, if not, could members be provided with that information.

It was confirmed that whilst the current list of empty properties was not broken down into a ward basis, officers could examine the feasibility of disseminating that information. Additionally, a letter could be sent to all members of the Council asking them to provide the department with details of any empty properties within their wards not appearing on the current list.

UNANIMOUSLY RESOLVED that the update report on the Committee’s previous Task and Finish Group on Empty Properties within Carmarthenshire be received.