Decision details

Decision Maker: Cabinet

Decision status: Recommendations Approved

Is Key decision?: Yes

Is subject to call in?: Yes

Decisions:

The Director, Prosperity and Development provided Members with an update on the progress being made with the implementation of  the Council’s approach to tackling empty homes, which is set out in the Empty Homes Strategy for the period 2018 -2021.

 

Members were advised that despite the covid pandemic steady progress had been made with the implementation of the strategy and Members were given an overview of the types of work undertaken.  The Director advised that the Council’s approach to tackling empty homes was having a positive impact on the number of empty homes across the borough, with 1,144 interventions delivered over the last 2 years, which was above the provisional target of 400 per year. It was highlighted that 501 properties had been brought back into use through the strategy.

 

The Director concluded by advising that the current RCT Empty Homes Strategy was coming to an end therefore, extending the current strategy would allow time for a new strategy to be developed in readiness for implementation in April 2022.

 

The Cabinet Member for Enterprise, Development & Housing spoke positively of the outcomes identified through the strategy and the large number of properties being brought back into use.

 

The Leader thanked the officers involved in taking forward the strategy for their hard work and spoke of the importance of the grant funding received to help assist in the development of projects and initiatives within the strategy.

 

Following discussions, it was RESOLVED:

 

1.    To note the information contained within this report and the progress made in bringing empty properties back into use in line with the RCT Empty Homes Strategy.

2.    To approve that the current RCT Empty Homes Strategy be extended until March 2022, with a new strategy being developed for implementation in April 2022.

 

(N.B At the conclusion of this item the Leader left the meeting.)

Publication date: 18/10/2021

Date of decision: 18/10/2021

Decided at meeting: 18/10/2021 - Cabinet

Effective from: 22/10/2021

Accompanying Documents: