Issue - meetings

Report of Head of Regeneration and Housing

Summary

To seek support in principle for the establishment, through the annual budget setting process, of a capital budget against which the Housing and Regeneration Service can draw when taking enforcement action to bring empty homes back into use, or when needing to undertake Works-in-Default following the failure of a notice recipient to comply with an enforcement notice requiring remedial works.

Recommendations

The Executive is recommended:

(1)          To support the establishment of a capital budget, through the annual budget setting process for 2014-15, and in successive years, that will enable enforcement powers delegated to the Head of Regeneration to be utilised effectively, and without the need for the necessary funding to be sought separately in each particular case.

Resolved

(1)          That the establishment of a capital budget, through the annual budget setting process for 2014-15, and in successive years, that will enable enforcement powers delegated to the Head of Regeneration to be utilised effectively, and without the need for the necessary funding to be sought separately in each particular case be supported.

The Head of Regeneration and Housing submitted a report which sought support in principle for the establishment, through the annual budget setting process, of a capital budget against which the Housing and Regeneration Service could draw when taking enforcement action to bring empty homes back into use, or when needing to undertake Works-in-Default following the failure of a notice recipient to comply with an enforcement notice requiring remedial works.

Resolved

(1)          That the establishment of a capital budget, through the annual budget setting process for 2014-15, and in successive years, that will enable enforcement powers delegated to the Head of Regeneration to be utilised effectively, and without the need for the necessary funding to be sought separately in each particular case be supported.

Reasons

Members’ concern about the waste represented by long-term empty homes, and their desire to get them back into use is underpinned and ultimately dependent upon the Council’s preparedness to take enforcement action in appropriate cases. It is effectively a last resort, but one that will not only get specific properties back into use, but also demonstrate very clearly to other owners of empty property that the Council is serious about reducing the number of empty home in the district. Without recourse to enforcement, where appropriate, the Council could appear toothless.

The Council is responsible for taking action to address unsatisfactory housing conditions and uses a variety of enforcement notices to achieve that. In cases where those notices are ignored the Council needs to be able to undertake Work-in default to ensure compliance.

The Head of Regeneration and Housing is authorised to take empty-dwelling enforcement action (EDMOs), to serve notices to remedy unsatisfactory housing and to undertake Work-in-default action arising, but requires funding to be available it that is to happen.

The most efficient and effective means of providing the necessary funding is by establishing a specific budget and having funds in place at the beginning of each year.

Options

Option One: Support the principle that a capital budget should be established so as to facilitate and enable effective housing enforcement action; and also support the principle that this budget should be determined, on an annual basis, through the budget setting process.

Option Two: Decline to support this approach and require the Head of Regeneration and Housing to seek funding, on a case by case basis, by means of reports to the Executive (as is currently the situation).