Councillors in North East Lincolnshire are set to debate a motion seeking stronger action to bring long-term empty homes back into use and to explore whether the council should become a social housing provider.
Numbers underline pressure on housing
The Labour opposition's proposal, tabled for July’s full council meeting by group leader Cllr Emma Clough (Heneage) and deputy leader Cllr Karl Wilson (West Marsh), draws on the council’s own Housing Strategy figures. It says there are currently 2,819 empty homes across the borough, of which 1,348 have been empty for more than six months. At the same time, almost 4,800 households remain on the council’s housing register and close to 500 are identified as in urgent or high housing need.
The motion argues that empty properties represent missed opportunities to provide secure, affordable accommodation and to regenerate neighbourhoods.
“Every long-term empty home is a missed opportunity to provide a secure and affordable home for someone who needs one,”
Cllr Clough says bringing empty properties back into use can also help tackle anti-social behaviour and make better use of existing homes and infrastructure.
What the motion would do
Labour is asking the council to consider a range of actions aimed at converting empty stock into lettable housing. The main strands in the proposal are:
- Developing a programme to acquire long-term empty properties;
- Setting up an Empty Homes Regeneration Fund to cover refurbishment costs;
- Exploring the feasibility and financial implications of the council becoming a social housing provider, either directly or via a wholly-owned housing company.
The motion suggests the regeneration fund could be financed through a combination of government grants, other external funding, borrowing where appropriate and receipts from property income.
Local impact and next steps
If members back the motion, officers will be asked to prepare reports and feasibility work on acquisition, funding options and the potential vehicle for delivering social housing. That work would be required before any bids for central government money or borrowing decisions could be taken.
| Metric | Number |
|---|---|
| Empty homes (total) | 2,819 |
| Empty > 6 months | 1,348 |
| Households on housing register | ~4,800 |
| Urgent / high need | ~500 |
Local campaigners and residents waiting on the housing register are likely to watch the debate closely. Bringing empty homes back into use can be complex: property condition, legal ownership, and the costs of refurbishment all affect whether individual houses can be brought up to standard for letting.
The full council meeting will reveal whether the authority is prepared to pursue acquisition and set up a dedicated fund, and whether it wants officers to outline the costs and practical steps needed for the council to take on a more direct role in providing social housing.
