Decision details

Councillor Musgrave, Lead Executive Member for Housing, Leisure, Health and Culture presented the report that set out the Council’s proposed Empty Homes Strategy and Action Plan to bring more properties back into use.

The Lead Executive Member for Housing, Leisure, Health and Culture explained that there were 409 properties across the district that had been empty for six months or longer and of those, 145 had been empty for two years or longer. The Executive were informed that should the recommendations be improved, the Council would have a strategy and action plan in place to bring back empty properties back into use.

Discussion took place on how success would be measured and how updates on progress of the work would be reported. The Service Manager, Housing and Environmental Health explained that the action plan including creating performance targets and these would be reported alongside the quarterly performance reports which were considered by the Executive.

It was noted that the Government were considering increasing the premium council tax charge for properties that had been empty for two or more years to 200%.

A query was raised regarding the process for compulsory purchase orders. The Solicitor to the Council explained that the process depended on what powers were being used however there was a strict procedure outlined in legislation that needed to be followed.

RESOLVED:

i)             To adopt the North Yorkshire Empty Property Strategy

ii)            To approve the local Selby District Action Plan

iii)           To approve the method for assessing and prioritising empty properties

iv)          To delegate the authority to purchase properties to the Director for Corporate Services and Commissioning in consultation with the Section 151 Officer and the Lead Member for Housing, Leisure, Health and Culture (subject to meeting the assessment criteria and financial appraisal)

v)            To approve the submission of the bid for HCA funding to deliver the Action Plan

REASON FOR THE DECISION

Reducing the number of privately owned empty homes is a corporate priority of the council. The council believes that the North Yorkshire Empty Property Strategy, supported by a local Action Plan is the best way to bring Selby district’s empty homes back into habitable use.

The Council is working with the North Yorkshire Housing Board to provide an overarching vision for the sub-region. The North Yorkshire Empty Property Strategy aims to reduce the number of long-term empty homes through a co-ordinated approach.

The local Action Plan lays out how we will target empty homes across the district, and how we will encourage, support or enforce owners to bring Empty Homes back into use.