Issue - meetings

The Cabinet considered a report which provided an introduction to the Empty Homes Policy that set the vision and the work programme for the Council in tackling empty private residential homes within the County for the next 3 years.  The report provided clear direction on the approach and where efforts would be focussed to meet this and other policy goals.

It was reported that empty homes were a wasted resource when there was a shortage of housing across the County, including rural wards.  These properties were reported as being a blight on neighbourhoods and could be a focus for anti-social behaviour.

The Council had committed to bringing empty homes back into use as quickly as possible and had worked with the owners of empty homes and partners to take all available opportunities to help tackle the issue of long-term empty properties.

Cabinet Members noted that bringing empty homes back into use could help address a number of housing and social issues by increasing supply in areas where there were housing shortages and pressures and where there were opportunities to link to other regeneration projects.

The Policy set out the approach and would allow officers to target certain types of properties, in certain areas, and would give clarity and confidence in any actions undertaken.

Additionally, it was noted that progress had been made over the past five years to reduce the overall number of empty homes through persistent activity and action to encourage/ enforce against homeowners to bring them back into use. The current number reported was 1,984 (Sep 2022). This represented approximately 2.1% of the overall housing stock within the County.

UNANIMOUSLY RESOLVED TO RECOMMEND TO COUNCIL that: