Lib Dem Leader on Shropshire Council, Roger Evans, has called for urgent action by the Council as figures revealed that the number of homes lying empty in Shropshire is increasing at a time where numbers are on the slide nationally.
Roger said “Local families are struggling in Shropshire to find homes they can afford. Prices are high and too often the wrong, luxury, type of housing is all that is being built. Its really depressing to hear these figures which show that the number of houses standing empty in our area is rising dramatically. As a Council we need to act to give landlords the incentive to make more of these properties available for rent. We need a far stronger and effective strategy than exists at present.*”
Since 2004 the number of empty properties has risen by 35.3% to 4891 (9% since 2010). In England as a whole the figure has decreased by 13.5%. 1,741 are termed ‘long term empty homes’ by the Government’s Department of Communities and Local Government who compiled the figures.
Cllr Evans continues: “However we do have a real opportunity to do something about this through our Council Tax provision. On long term properties (empty over 12 months) the Council levies a council tax of 150% of its normal value. I’m proposing that the Shropshire Council follows the lead given by the former South Shropshire District Council and use the extra 50% to establish of grant fund to encourage landlords to bring empty properties back on the market. A condition of any grant should be that any property so funded would be available for an affordable market rent for 5 years.
“With the numbers of affordable homes so limited in Shropshire, the Council really needs to take a lead on this issue. Even if we got a fraction of these 4891 homes back on the market it would be a significant help.”
Roger has called in the policy for scrutiny by the Council’s Enterprise and Growth Scrutiny Committee.
*The Councils Empty Homes Strategy has delivered three Empty Property Incentive Grants with another five at the pre-approval stage. On completion these grants would provide up to 13 units of accommodation.