At the meeting of the Environment and Housing Management Committee in September 2017 Members adopted the Empty Homes Strategy 2017 – 2020 (Appendix A) which proposed measures to try to reduce the number of empty homes in the Borough.

The Strategy set out the powers available and proposals to contact and engage with the owners of long-term empty properties in the Borough.

The report outlined the current position and proposals for next steps.

A motion was MOVED by Cllr Hossack and SECONDED by Cllr Kerslake to agree the recommendations.

A vote was taken by a show of hands and it was RESOLVED UNANIMOUSLY:

1. That Members note the Empty Homes Strategy (Appendix A) and consider further actions to tackle empty homes in the Borough.

2. Officers are instructed to identify opportunities to work collaboratively with other Essex authorities to achieve outcomes

3. Officers seek to engage other agencies or authorities to assist where current staff resources limit progress on measures to encourage reuse of empty homes.

4. Officers report back to future Committees on actions to engage with partners.

Reasons for Recommendation

To ensure that some action was taken to identify, contact and encourage the reduction of the number of empty homes in the Borough within the limited resources available, and to identify what resources would be needed or could be made available.

To seek to ensure that the costs of enforcement action was recovered where possible.