More money and more staff will be put into efforts to get empty homes across Swindon back into use, if councillors agree.

A report will be made by Swindon Borough Council’s head of housing Mike Ash to the adults’ health care and housing overview and scrutiny committee at its meeting tomorrow.

The report has been produced in response to a motion passed by the council in October last year asking cabinet member for housing Cathy Martyn to look at improving the situation which sees more than 600 private homes empty long-term across the borough.

The vote followed a report to the audit committee in early 2020 criticising the council’s action on empty homes, but councillors were frustrated that nothing had been done.

Now, Mr Ash will tell the committee an extra 18 hours a week of officer time and a one-off increase of £50,000 – both found from existing resources – will be dedicated to the issue if councillors agree.

The report says this would: “provide additional capacity to be more pro-active in case management, undertake timely and effective enforcement action and increase the current level and range of support to property owners to bring homes back into use.

“This approach provides more capacity for the officers to lead and co-ordinate appropriate and proportionate action on empty homes across the borough.”

It adds that a recent review in October last year found 699 homes classified as long-term empty – although that might be an under-reporting.

It says: “Council tax data tells us the total number of homes that have been registered as long-term empty but not the total number of homes that are unoccupied. We write annually to all owners who have homes that are registered as empty, and responses show not all owners keep the council informed.

"Council tax data is only as reliable as the information that the owners give the council.”

In trying to fill long-term empty homes the council employs a three-pronged action. First it tries to find out why a property may have been empty for a long time, then it tries to help owners, but if nothing improves or owners are resistant, it does have enforcement powers.

That can include an order for the owner to rectify the situation or face court, a forced sale order or even a compulsory purchase order, where the council can buy a property even if the owner doesn’t want to sell, in order to prevent a nuisance.

The meeting starts at 6pm tomorrow at the council offices in Euclid Street. Members of the public may attend but will be required to wear a face covering.