Lib Dem crackdown on Empty Homes

The Liberal Democrat Focus Team has called on the Tory Borough Council to do more to bring empty homes like this one in Worting Road back into use. "Council policy makes it difficult to force owners to do this, even when a property has been vacant for very many years" says Doris Jones.

Tory cuts mean the Council no longer has a dedicated empty property officer and local Tories have voted to continue giving Council tax discounts to people who leave homes empty.

Labour's Legacy

The number of empty homes reached record highs under the last Labour Government. It was a scandal that at the same time the number of people on the housing waiting list soared to an all time high.

The Lib Dems have used their influence in govenment to encourage Councils and home owners to bring these homes back into use including:

- Made sure councils get a bonus payment when an empty property is put back into use via the 'new homes bonus'.

- Made £100m available for community groups to bring empty homes in their area back into use. ­

- Introduce an "Empty Homes Premium" - worth up to 50% of council tax - on homes that have been empty for longer than two years to act as a spur to landlords to bring more properties back into productive use.

In the first year of the Lib Dems in Government the number of empty homes fell by 21,000. the lowest number for 7 years!