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Issue - meetings

Long Term Empty Properties

 

 

Meeting: 09/10/2024 - Executive (Item 241)

241 Long Term Empty Property Strategy 2024-2029 pdf icon PDF 70 KB

Purpose:

To present an updated Long Term Empty Property Strategy to support the management of long-term empty properties within West Oxfordshire district.

 

Recommendation:

That the Executive resolves to:

1.    Approve the implementation of the Long-Term Empty Property Strategy for 2024 – 2029.

Additional documents:

Minutes:

Councillor Alaric Smith, Executive Member for Finance, introduced the report, which presented an updated Long Term Empty Property Strategy to support the management of long-term empty properties within the West Oxfordshire district.

It was explained that this strategy stated the objectives West Oxfordshire District Council had set itself to bring as many long-term empty properties back into occupation as was practicable.

Work had continued over the years to address the impact that long term empty properties have within the district, and the objectives within this strategy aimed to build on this. The Council’s intentions were to work with the owners of such properties to initially understand their reasons for keeping them vacant, and to support them, where possible, in bringing the properties back into use, to allow this unused resource to better serve the communities, mitigate the negative impact they have, and provide an increased opportunity to meet the Council’s housing needs.

In debate, Councillor Duncan Enright said that there was also an with issue non-residential properties and therefore this strategy may be useful if applied to that issue as well. Councillor Michele Mead queried the resource around implementation of the strategy and whether there were financial implications and appropriate allowances for Officer time. The Chief Executive confirmed that they intended to keep the resource requirements under review to ensure the objectives of the strategy could be achieved.

The Environmental, Welfare, Revenue Services Business Manager explained that a collaborate approach was underway with Officers in other areas who would work together to achieve the objectives of the strategy.

Councillor Alaric Smith proposed that the Executive agree the recommendations as listed on the original report. This was seconded by Councillor Geoff Saul, was put to a vote, and was unanimously agreed by the Executive.

The Executive Resolved to:

1. Approve the implementation of the Long-Term Empty Property Strategy for 2024 - 2029.

 

 

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