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Consideration was given to recommendation HP 24/9 of the Housing
and Planning Scrutiny Select Committee of 19 March 2024 in respect
of empty homes in the borough, a new Local Government Association
(LGA) report on dealing with empty homes and proposals for the
introduction of a new Empty Homes Officer post.
 
Cabinet had due regard to the views of the Scrutiny Select
Committee, the financial and value for money considerations and
legal implications and recognised the importance of adopting
measures to get empty properties back into use. 
 
On
the grounds of focusing attention, monitoring progress and exploring options for a longer-term
approach, Cllr Boughton proposed, seconded by Cllr Coffin, the
establishment of a fixed term Empty Homes Officer post.  The creation of a budget of £30,000 to fund
work that enabled the facilitation of empty homes being brought
back into use was also supported.
 
RESOLVED: 
That
 
(1)           
a two-year fixed-term Empty Homes Officer post be
established;

 
(2)           
the cost of the post (£91,000) and empty homes
budget (£30,000) be taken from the Housing Assistance
Reserve; and

 
(3)           
the Local Government Association report on empty
homes be noted and that this approach be utilised as the basis for
the fixed-term Empty Homes Officer post.