A Have a record

of empty homes in the District i) Maintain accurate database using and updating Council Tax database of properties empty for 6 months or more

ii) Incorporate referrals and intelligence from the community regarding empty properties

iii) Identify why properties are empty

iv) Provide a record of the location of empty homes from digital mapping

Empty Homes Officer with assistance of Council Tax team leader and Change and

Performance digital mapping staff

Officer time Monthly

In the event of information referral Ongoing

To be completed annually in April

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Actions Lead Responsibility Resources Timescale Progress/

Notes B. Through information and publicity raise awareness of empty property initiatives i) Publicise by press release and website three empty homes awards or returns

ii) Publicise by press release the Empty Homes Strategy in local media iii) Review and update publicity materials iv) Attend Town and Parish Council meetings, Neighbourhood Watch groups and Community in hotspot areas

v) Update webpage to include service standards and performance data

Empty Homes Officer

Empty Homes Officer

Empty Homes Officer Empty Homes Officer

Empty Homes Officer

Officer time Officer time Officer time Officer time Officer time To be completed annually To be completed annually Ongoing 3 Town Councils, 1 Chamber of Commerce and 3 community forums within hotspot areas. By March 2013 and then annually Annually in December

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Actions Lead Responsibility Resources Timescale Progress/

Notes C. Have a coordinated approach to empty property work

i) Present new strategy to Planning, Building

Control, Environmental Health with progress so far and revised strategy objectives

ii) Co-ordinate our approach with the Community Leadership Team to align the shop front grants scheme with refurbishment of empty flats and spaces above shops.

iii) Engage and maintain external partners such as local Police, Housing Associations and Estate Agents

iv) Partnership working with local Registered Providers of Social

Housing and investigation of the possibility of a private sector leasing scheme

v) Identify any property developers who wish to

Empty Homes Officer

Empty Homes Officer and Business, Enterprise and Tourism Officer

Empty Homes Officer

Private Sector Housing Team and Housing and Communities Services Manager

Empty Homes Officer

Officer time Officer time Officer time Officer time Officer time By March 2013 By October 2013 Attend 4 town police stations within hotspot areas by March 2014. By March 2014 Ongoing

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Actions Lead Responsibility Resources Timescale Progress/

Notes

purchase and develop empty properties in any given condition. Maintain database of contacts to pass on to empty property owners

vi) Update hotspots action plan to engage with 100% of empty property owners in ‘hotspots’ as priority areas of intervention. vii) As number of empty homes in hotspots reduce identify 2nd _{layer of}

hotspots for intervention viii) Attend West Midlands Empty Property Officers Group

Empty Homes Officer

Empty Homes Officer

Empty Homes Officer

Officer time Officer time Officer time By October 2012 / October 2014 By July 2015 Bi-annually

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Actions Lead Responsibility Resources Timescale Progress/

Notes D. Provide encouragement and support to empty property owners

i) Initiate contact with 100% of empty property owners by letter within 14 days of notification of a complaint of empty property

ii) Provide advice and support by letter to owners of all empty properties when they become empty for longer 6 months, or on

termination of Council Tax exemption ‘A’

iii) Research empty shops, spaces and flats above shops, and empty commercial spaces in ‘hotspots’ and promote empty property initiative to create housing in town and village centres. Implement timescales within hotspot action plan to coincide with

promotion to communities.

iv) Maintain a toolkit of contacts, information and options to help owners

Empty Homes Officer

Empty Homes Officer and Revenues Officer

Empty Homes Officer

Empty Homes Officer

Officer time Officer time Officer time Funding to commission research Officer time Ongoing Ongoing By March 2013, to review annually Ongoing

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Actions Lead Responsibility Resources Timescale Progress/

Notes

bring their empty properties back into use v) Publish Empty Property information pack

vi) Present on empty homes at the Council’s Landlord Forum

vii) Promote Midland Landlord Accreditation Scheme.

viii) Maximise New Homes Bonus revenue by

reviewing Council Tax base, targeting all recorded empty homes.

Empty Homes Officer

Empty Homes Officer

Empty Homes Officer

Empty Homes Officer

Officer time Officer time Officer time Officer time By October 2013 By October 2014 Ongoing By September 2012

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Actions Lead Responsibility Resources Timescale Progress/

Notes E. Develop and adopt enforcement procedures

i) Review need for an Enforced Sales policy and procedure

ii) Review EDMO Policy in line with any revisions to EDMO legislation

iii) Agree individual management agreements with partners identified in Priority 3 for Empty Dwelling Management Orders (EDMOs) and develop policy and

procedures as necessary iv) Review need for Compulsory Purchase Orders

v) Maintain procedures to utilise enforcement available within other Council departments

Empty Homes Officer in partnership with Legal. Empty Homes Officer in partnership with Legal and managing/letting agents and/or a local Housing Association Empty Homes Officer

Empty Homes Officer

Private Sector Housing, Planning, Street Scene Building Control, Environmental Health Officer time. Officer time Officer time Legal fees (if applicable) Officer time Officer Time To be determined in EDMO policy By March 2015 By September 2012 Review annually in December whether work needs to be done to produce EDMO Management Agreement By September 2015 Ongoing

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Actions Lead Responsibility Resources Timescale Progress/

Notes F. Utilise funding available to bring empty properties back into use and provide affordable housing solutions across the District for those in housing need

i) Identify further funding as grant use and targets necessitate

ii) Research, develop and implement revised grant and loans scheme for renovation of empty properties

iii) Work with Jephson Housing association to identify 14 empty homes suitable for HCA Empty Homes Funding.

Private Sector Team and Housing and

Communities Services Manager

Empty Homes Officer and Housing Services Manager

Empty Homes Officer

To be determined by grant take up Officer time and Capital Funding to maintain grant / loan Officer time and HCA Empty Homes Fund Annually in line with budget setting process

By October 2012

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