Agenda item

Joint Report of the Assistant Chief Executive and the Corporate Director of Regeneration and Economic Development – presented by the Housing Improvement Manager, Regeneration and Economic Development.

The Chairman invited the Housing Improvement Manager to speak to Members in relation to progress in respect of the recommendations within the Committee’s Empty Homes Review (for copy see file of minutes).

The Housing Improvement Manager explained that the Empty Homes Team now sat within the Housing Solutions Service, no longer separate within the Regeneration and Economic Development, and this provided the opportunity to provide a more holistic approach.  Members noted that the work as regards empty homes included properties within low demand areas and predominately those properties within Council Tax Bands A and B.

The Committee learned of a package of interventions including: interest free loans for landlords to enable them to renovate and rent or move into the property themselves; various loans/grants secured against the property or placed as a charge on the property; advice and guidance as regards potential sale or rent, including via DKO; matching tenants excluded from DKO to those empty homes returning to the market where appropriate; the promoting of homesteading schemes in priority cluster areas; targeting of empty homes in relation to the collection of Council Tax; utilising the powers available to colleagues within Environmental Health and Building Control to target those properties where owners are not engaging, with potential for Empty Dwelling Management Order (EDMOs) and Compulsory Purchase Orders (CPOs) in the more extreme cases.

The Chairman thanked the Housing Improvement Manager and asked Members for their questions on the report.

Members asked questions in relation to the number of RSLs and private landlords brought into the DKO scheme; uptake in relation to those properties being eligible for Cluster Funding and effectiveness of the schemes.

The Housing Solutions Manager explained that the 8 main providers within the County operated via the DKO scheme and ongoing discussions with other RSLs including Accent, Home Housing and Four Housing, formerly Three Rivers Housing, were progressing positively.  It was added that 54 private landlords were represented within the DKO scheme.  The Housing Improvement Manager noted that in areas where Cluster funding was being targeted, there were other factors linked to the wider issues in the economy that limited uptake and that discussions with the DCLG as regards amending the original bid could allow use of Cluster funding in other areas where uptake maybe greater.

Resolved:

(i)          That the report be noted.

(ii)         That the Economy and Enterprise Overview and Scrutiny Committee receive a further report detailing progress made against the recommendations contained in the Scrutiny Review report at a future meeting.