Issue - meetings

Empty Homes Strategy 2021 - 2025

Meeting: 11/11/2021 - Scrutiny and Overview Committee (Item 9)

9 Empty Homes Strategy 2021 - 2025 pdf icon PDF 245 KB

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Minutes:

The Scrutiny and Overview Committee considered a report on the draft Empty Homes Strategy. This Strategy related to the issue of empty homes in South Cambridgeshire and the tools available to the District Council to help bring empty homes back into use.  A survey of owners of empty properties had been undertaken in July 2021, the results of which were attached as an appendix to the report.

 

Several committee members wondered whether South Cambridgeshire District Council could purchase empty properties with the co-operation of the owners of those properties. It was suggested that this might provide the opportunity for the Council to install the latest energy-efficient features and then treat those homes as Council investments. The element of agreement would negate the need for a lengthy and expensive legal process. The Head of Housing Strategy drew Members’ attention to the roles that Ermine Street Housing and Shire Homes could play in this context.

 

While noting the Lead Cabinet Member for Housing’s assertion that South Cambridgeshire District Council only received between five and ten complaints a year about empty properties, Councillor Dr. Claire Daunton urged the Council to be more proactive in dealing with ‘challenging buildings’.

 

The Chair welcomed provision in the Budget for 2022-23 of funding for a dedicated Empty Homes Officer.

 

Councillor Peter Fane said that, in considering how to deal with empty properties, it was important to take account of both the nature of ownership (tenure) and the circumstances of each individual case.

 

The Head of Housing urged caution in viewing empty properties as an investment opportunity. He cited affordability, viability, and limitations on the use of Right to Buy proceeds.

 

Councillor Dr. Martin Cahn asked that officers investigate the opportunities provided by Empty Dwellings Management Orders.

 

The Scrutiny and Overview Committee

 

1.    recommended that Cabinet considers the further option of South Cambridgeshire District Council buying empty properties by agreement with their owners under the terms of the Council’s Investment Strategy.

 

2.    supported in principle Section 7 of the draft Strategy but recommended that Cabinet monitor the effectiveness of the measures outlined in bringing empty homes back into use and considered the option of increasing the premium charges if should there be a reasonable prospect of such a step reducing the overall number of empty properties throughout the District.