Issue - meetings

To consider the head of housing and environment’s report. 

Cabinet considered the head of housing and environment’s report which sought adoption of the Empty Homes policy and to delegate authority to the head of housing and environment to make minor amendments to the policy in future.

The Cabinet member for community well being presented the report and highlighted what the policy sought to achieve. She went on to inform Cabinet that by adopting the policy a proactive approach to bringing homes back into use would be implemented with the addition of a staff member to deliver this. The Cabinet member for community informed Cabinet that the number of empty homes was calculated based on council tax data and that through the proposed positive engagement more properties may be brought back into use.

Cabinet welcomed the officer report and were keen to ensure that effective communications were employed to ensure the wider community were aware of the policy. Cabinet noted that there was wider benefit to bringing homes back into use than the financial cost including provision of housing for those in need and reduction in anti-social behaviour associated with empty properties.

RESOLVED to:

(a)       approve the adoption of the Empty Homes policy;

(b)    authorise the head of housing and environment to make minor amendments to the policy in the future.