Issue - meetings

Cabinet:

a)    Approved the Draft Empty Homes Strategy 2021 -2025, as set out at Appendix A, to go out to wider public consultation

b)    Delegated authority to the Lead Member for Housing to approve the final Strategy subject to minor amendments, if any, arising from the consultation.

Cabinet:

a)    Approved the Draft Empty Homes Strategy 2021 -2025, as set out at Appendix A, to go out to wider public consultation

b)    Delegated authority to the Lead Member for Housing to approve the final Strategy subject to minor amendments, if any, arising from the consultation.

Cabinet received the Empty Homes Strategy, Councillor Bridget Smith, Leader of the Council, introduced the draft policy and requested that the Head of Housing Strategy summarise the report. It was mentioned that the strategy would tackle the current issue of Empty Homes within the district, and be subject to public consultation.

The Leader invited the Chair of the Scrutiny and Overview Committee, Councillor Grenville Chamberlain, to introduce the committee’s comments. It was suggested that empty properties, that the Council had a financial interest in, could form part of the Council’s Investment Strategy.

Councillor John Williams, Lead Cabinet Member for Finance, thanked Officers for their work in drafting the report, and noted the number of empty homes within the district was very small in the context of the overall housing stock owned by the Council.

Councillor Neil Gough, the Deputy Leader, mentioned the strategy focus on the derelict housing that could cause anti-social behaviour.

Councillor Brian Milnes, Lead Cabinet Member for Environmental Services and Licencing, supported the Deputy Leader’s comments, and hoped the strategy would reduce the need for police attention.

Councillor Dr. Tumi Hawkins, Lead Cabinet Member for Planning Policy and Delivery, commented that while empty homes were not widespread within the district, they could be a blight in the villages, and was looking forward to the comments from the public consultation.

Councillor Anna Bradnam suggested that one of the options to purchase the empty homes was through Shire Homes or Ermine Street Housing and questioned who would complete the valuation of the properties. The Head of Housing responded that this would be undertaken by the qualified surveyor.

Councillor Dr. Claire Daunton queried who would be consulted and suggested that Parish Councils should be made aware of the consultation. The Head of Housing Strategy said that consultation would be carried out among owners of empty properties, and that Parish Councils would be contacted when the consultation was published on the District Council’s website.

The Leader closed the discussion, and Cabinet:

a)    Approved the Draft Empty Homes Strategy 2021 -2025, as set out at Appendix A, to go out to wider public consultation

b)    Delegated authority to the Lead Member for Housing to approve the final Strategy subject to minor amendments, if any, arising from the consultation.