Agenda item

1.            Mr Dance (Cabinet Member, Economic Development) introduced this item.  This was a good news story but there were still 5000 long term empty properties across Kent, the income that could be generated from those properties in business rates and council tax was considerable, there were only two outstanding debts across the scheme. 

2.            Steve Grimshaw (Strategic Programme Manager) gave a presentation to Cabinet Members - available online here.

3.            Kent’s initial investment into the No Use Empty (NUE) scheme was £5m.  To date NUE had awarded £27m in short term secured loans and had levered in £29m from the public/private sectors, giving a total investment of £56m across Kent.  It was considered that KCC had a strong partner relationship with the 12 District Councils in Kent and was also hoping to work with Medway Council. 

4.            The Leader congratulated Mr Grimshaw and his team on the success of the NUE scheme.  He commented on the outstanding quality of the property conversions and asked how it was possible to ensure that recipients of the loans provided accommodation that was built to a good or excellent standard.  Mr Grimshaw explained that there was a legal document ensuring that if money was provided the recipient had to bring the property up to the Government’s decent homes standard.  KCC and district colleagues monitored the projects and reinforced that a high standard was required.  In response to a further question Mr Grimshaw confirmed that the majority of empty properties remained in East Kent, the district council directed properties which could be considered under the scheme, KCC would undertake site visits, meet the owners of the properties and make a plan to find the best solution to bring the property back into use and reduce the number of empty properties in each district. 

5.            A Member asked if there would be further opportunities to work with the Homes and Communities Agency (HCA) now there was demonstrable success with the initial NUE money?  Mr Grimshaw explained that his team was always looking for opportunities to draw money back into Kent. 

6.            A Member asked whether the number of houses brought back into use under the NUE scheme benefitted the local authorities against their housing targets as set by Government within their local plan?  Mr Grimshaw understood that currently any empty properties brought back into use were not counted against the local plan.  David Smith explained that a number of attempts had been made to change national policy both to count conversions that NUE had produced within the local plan and by showcasing what Kent had done, there was no similar scheme anywhere else in the Country.  Officers would like to align central government funding and rules, currently no central government money was available for the scheme, apart from KCC’s bid to the Growing Places Fund.  The NUE team relied on KCC’s Capital Programme which was repaid every three years, and then made further bids. 

RESOLVED that Cabinet thank officers for the update and note the report.