Purpose

A pilot scheme to bring ten long-term empty homes back into use
as affordable housing, whereby the Council will provide up to
£25K funding per property to cover necessary refurbishment
works and restore the property to a good lettable standard. The
refurbished properties will be taken onto a lease with the Council
and the investment recouped via the lease rental income.

The scheme sits within the wider context of our Empty Homes
Strategy, and a broad range of incentives and levers designed to
tackle the issues associated with empty homes and bring them back
into local housing supply.

Decision

That the Assistant Director – Housing Services,
authorises:
 

(1)      
the approach to be taken to renovate and bring back into use ten
local empty homes through an Empty Homes Investment Scheme –
as per the proposals laid out in the report; and

(2)      
the Assistant Director – Legal, Governance and Elections to
prepare and enter into any agreements, on behalf of the Council, to
facilitate the above.