Disclosure Log

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Question

1) What’s the current number of empty properties and long term empty properties across the council, as of June 2? If a figure is not available for June 2, please provide the most up-to-date figure available and state the date for which that figure is accurate. How many of those are owned by the council? What were the numbers as of 2 June 2019, in terms again of empty properties, long term empty properties, and council-owned empty/long term empty properties? 2) How many people were on the social housing waiting lists on those two dates? 3) What’s the reason that the long term empty properties are currently void? Please provide a breakdown by void status – i.e. classifying them as available (Undergoing works, Ready for Occupation, TA: Ready for letting, Long cycle void group, Major Works, Minor repairs), temporarily unavailable (Unauthorised Occupant, Squatted, Capital void, Redevelopment), and permanently unavailable (Demolition, Disposal) or a similar classification method that you use. 4) Since 2019, have you undertaken any work around reducing your long term empty properties? If you have, was this done using internal resources, third party resources, or both? 5) How many properties were brought back into use as a result in each of those years since 2019? What were the average financial costs per property, in order for them to be brought back into use? 6) What work is the council currently undertaking and what is it planning to undertake when it comes to reducing its long term empty properties? 7) Does the council offer financial support, in terms of grants or loans, to Long Term Empty property owners to help them bring properties back into use? If yes, how many owners have made use of that in every year since 2019? 8) What’s the budget, if any, that the council has allocated for supporting the reduction of empty properties?

Answer

1)What’s the current number of empty properties and long term empty properties across the council, as of June 2? If a figure is not available for June 2, please provide the most up-to-date figure available and state the date for which that figure is accurate. How many of those are owned by the council? What were the numbers as of 2 June 2019, in terms again of empty properties, long term empty properties, and council-owned empty/long term empty properties? NONE – local authority doesn’t have housing stock 2) How many people were on the social housing waiting lists on those two dates? 2nd June 2025 = 2336. can’t get a figure for June 2nd 2019 due to the live nature of the system, but there were 1539 on the 02nd October 2019 3)What’s the reason that the long term empty properties are currently void? Please provide a breakdown by void status – i.e. classifying them as available (Undergoing works, Ready for Occupation, TA: Ready for letting, Long cycle void group, Major Works, Minor repairs), temporarily unavailable (Unauthorised Occupant, Squatted, Capital void, Redevelopment), and permanently unavailable (Demolition, Disposal) or a similar classification method that you use. See Table Below Date Exempt Class A (12) Exempt Class C (6) Long Term Empty PCWB - Second Homes 100% Premium Exceptions 31/10/2019 86 339 520 214 Not applicable 31/05/2025 77 400 443 208 98 4) Since 2019, have you undertaken any work around reducing your long term empty properties? If you have, was this done using internal resources, third party resources, or both? 01.04.2019 - Long Term Empty Charge increased from 50% to 100% 01.04.2023 – 100% Council Tax Premium Charge 01.04.2024 – 100% Premium Charge for Second Homes 01.05.2025 – Varied Council Tax Premium Charge – 100% 1 to 5 Years: 150% 5 to 10 Years: 200% 10 Years The above has been done to encourage owner to bring their properties back into use. 5) How many properties were brought back into use as a result in each of those years since 2019? What were the average financial costs per property, in order for them to be brought back into use? We do not hold data on costs of works on each empty property that is brought back into use. 6) What work is the council currently undertaking and what is it planning to undertake when it comes to reducing its long term empty properties? See references to q4 7) Does the council offer financial support, in terms of grants or loans, to Long Term Empty property owners to help them bring properties back into use? If yes, how many owners have made use of that in every year since 2019? Participation in National Empty Homes Grant since 2023. MTCBC allocated budget £124,000. 11 grant applications have been completed since 2023. Participation in Property Loan Scheme 8) What’s the budget, if any, that the council has allocated for supporting the reduction of empty properties? No specific budget but delivered within existing budgets except for funding of National Empty Homes grants – see answer to 7 above.