Transcript EXtraLet - SWCouncils

South West Regional
Improvement Efficiency
Partnership
Making use of existing stock –
Building Capacity for Empty
Homes Teams
Lead Authority & Partners
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Lead Authority – Exeter City Council
Partners – West Dorset District Council
East Dorset District Council
North Dorset District Council
Purbeck District Council
Weymouth & Portland Borough Council
Partners - Cont
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Christchurch Borough Council
Dorset Strategic Housing Group
Plymouth City Council
Devon Strategic Housing Group
Background to the Bid
• Mock inspection of Exeter City Council
highlighted insufficient empty homes
enforcement action
• 6 Dorset Housing authorities ‘red flagged’
for failing to effectively address the issues
of empty property within the CAA report
The Bid
• Joint initiative between Exeter City
Council and West Dorset District Council
• To deliver a 6 day training programme for
24 delegates from Dorset, Exeter
Plymouth Local Authorities and partner
authorities
Programme Objectives
• Improve knowledge
• Provide skills for effective EH
management and enforcement
• Establish a ‘tool kit’
• Improve performance
• Achieve efficiencies
Source of Training
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Technical Training
Provided by Empty Homes Training Ltd
Trainers
Andrew Lavender - all aspects of
enforcement
• David Gibbens - legislation
Source of Training
• Soft Skills
• Delaney & Hart
Proposed Outcomes
• LA’s equipped to undertake existing and
new duties related to the strategic housing
function
• LA’s and Partners proactively working
• LA’ & Partners able to recruit staff with
appropriate skills
Proposed Outcomes
• LA’s better placed to lever in Funding
• LA’s have a consistent approach to
strategic housing
• Strategic Housing partnerships are able to
draw on a robust evidence base to
support their action
Where are we now?
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24 Delegates
Completed 10 days of training
6 Days technical training
4 Days soft skills
Advisory service
Empty Homes Network Web Site
Outcomes
• Too early to assess
• Increased skills and knowledge:
• Comments from the delegates:
‘It has given me the confidence to deal with
empty homes complaints’
‘It has provided me with information on new
ways of approaching empty home owners’
Delegate Responses
• ‘Has given me the confidence and the
tools to tackle some of our problematical
long term empties, we are embarking
upon what might be our first enforced
sale!’
‘The manuals should provide us with a great
deal of help with the future delivery of
empty property’.
Obstacles to Improved Outcomes
• Inability to achieve ‘read only’ Council tax
information
• Empty homes officers do not have
delegated powers to serve notices.
• Lack of understanding from senior
management and members of the
processes needed to provide improved
outcomes.
Benefits for the Future
• Provide increase in alternative housing
options
• Provide a housing resource for both social
and private occupiers
• Improvement in Private Sector Housing
stock
• Cost savings to the public sector
• Increased CT Revenue
New Legislation Affecting
Empty Homes
New Homes Bonus
The Message from Government
• Empty homes are a blight on local communities
and a waste which we cannot afford. We need
to harness this potential to meet pressing
housing need.”
• “Through the New Homes Bonus, the
Government proposes to strengthen the
incentive for local authorities to identify empty
properties and work with property owners to find
innovative solutions that allow these properties
to be brought back into use.”
Implications for exemptions
• Unfurnished empties get Exemption Class “C”
for 6 months
• At 6 months + 1 day they start costing the local
community circa £1,500
• vital to target homes coming up to 6 months
empty July, August
• Makes no difference how long homes are empty
– focus on most numerous ie. those around 6
months empty.
Money for Empty Homes
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1 new LTE costs £1.5k approx p.a.
1 LTE less generates £1.5k approx p.a.
Bonus only sustained if reduction sustained
Difference of -5 and +5 p.a. = 10 x bonus
• Say £15k p.a.
• Councils are no longer able to ignore empty
homes
New Homes Bonus
• Money not ring fenced
• Income likely to go to other areas of Council
• Important that some of the income goes to
support the officer costs
• Incentivise EH operatives by giving them the
NHB for all properties they bring back into use.
Enforcement
• EDMOs the only enforcement tool directly
targeted at LTEs
• Councils will find it easier to justify work and
expense associated with EDMOs.
• Internal partnerships and corporate working
must become more efficient
• Council tax data must become easier to access!
Conclusion
• Training provided expertise & knowledge
• Indications for improved service are strong
• Provided staff with expertise to support
initiatives that will produce high levels of NHB
Discussion/Questions
Contact Details
Sue Haigh
Empty Homes Partnership Manager
Exeter City Council
Tel:01392 265819
Email:[email protected]