Liberal Democrat councillors at East Cambridgeshire District Council are calling for a complete refresh of the authority’s approach to tackling long-term empty homes, urging a renewed commitment to bring neglected properties back into use and relieve pressure on local housing need.
A motion submitted to the Full Council meeting on Thursday 20 November by Cllr Mark Inskip (Sutton) and Cllr Christine Colbert (Ely West) highlights the persistence of the issue and proposes a comprehensive update to the district’s empty homes policy.
“The number of homes sitting empty for more than six months has remained between 470 and 550 for several years,” said Cllr Inskip, the Lib Dem & Independent Group Lead Member for Operational Services.
“It is totally wrong that hundreds of properties are lying unused across the district at a time of growing local housing need and blighting local communities.”
Cllr Colbert stressed the need for an up-to-date framework: “The Council’s current Empty Homes Strategy dates back nearly twenty years. Our proposal calls for a new, modernised strategy that uses the full range of tools available—from support for owners to proportionate enforcement—to get homes lived in again.”
The motion instructs officers to produce a new Empty Homes Strategy featuring district-wide targets, allocated resources to deliver the work, and an annual public reporting process.
