The Area Action Partnership provided some funding for a local charity DASH to apply to the empty Homes community Grant Programme and the application has now been submitted. I have been assisting the organiser of this in respect of properties in the Framwellgate Moor area, and wish the group well in their application.

With up to 10,000 empty properties in the county depending on which definition you use, this is another project which could help reduce this number. I have evidence from residents contacting me that the changes stopping owners of empty properties from getting half price council tax if they leave a property empty, are having some effect with some owners spurred on to bring properties back into use. I look forward to seeing if this is born out by the councils figures, which unfortunately have not been very good lately. Some of this may be down to the fact that the council hasn’t put any of the money from the government New Homes /Empty Homes bonus into investing in bringing properties back into use and is instead using it to top up its continencies  (money it hasn’t allocated to anything).

Lib Dem Councillors have been calling for investment into this area.