Agenda item

(a)  That the Council’s Housing Regulation Team use all available powers including, but not limited to, Compulsory Purchase Powers, Part 4 of the Housing Act 2004 and the Relevant Town & Planning Act 1990 to bring long term empty derelict properties back into use .

(b)  That The CPO report in Part II of the agenda, which sought approval to use Compulsory Purchase Power to deal with seven long term empty properties, be noted.

The Commissioner for Housing & Urban Renewal introduced a report that sought Cabinet approval to take proactive and effective enforcement actions to deal with long term empty and derelict properties.  Bringing such properties back into use would both improve the neighbourhood for local residents and bring back into use much needed housing stock.  A separate report in Part II of the agenda sought approval to use Compulsory Purchase Orders (CPO) for seven properties.

The Cabinet was supportive of the action being taken to tackle this issue and sought assurance that reasonable steps had been taken with owners prior to the use of such powers.  It was confirmed that CPO were a last resort and Officers sought to work with property owners wherever possible to bring homes back into use.  It was noted that such powers had not been used by the Council for some years.  Contact details had been published for residents to make the Council aware of other properties that could be considered for similar action. 

Speaking under Rule 30, Councillor Swindlehurst welcomed the use of the available powers and highlighted previous decision taken to limit Council Tax reliefs for empty properties.  He also encouraged the Cabinet to take action on the issue of unoccupied dwellings which accounted for more properties than those empty and derelict.

The Cabinet agreed the approach being taken to bring empty properties back into use.

Resolved –

(a)  That the Council’s Housing Regulation Team use all available powers including, but not limited to, Compulsory Purchase Powers, Part 4 of the Housing Act 2004 and the Relevant Town & Planning Act 1990 to bring long term empty derelict properties back into use .

(b)  That The CPO report in Part II of the agenda, which sought approval to use Compulsory Purchase Power to deal with seven long term empty properties, be noted.