Empty Homes Strategy 2018 to 2023 Action Plan
Objective: To understand the scale of the long-term empty home issue across Orkney.
| Action. | Timescale. | Resources. | Responsibility. |
|---|
| Establish contact with the owners of every long-term empty home through the Empty Properties Survey. | Within a month of notification of property being long term empty. | Existing staff. | Empty Homes Development Officer. |
| Arrange for Council Tax Section to provide a report containing new empty properties which have been empty for more than 6 months, twice a year. | Maximum, every six months. | Existing staff. | Empty Homes Development Officer, Revenues Manager. |
| Map empty properties on GIS to identify any ‘hotspots’. | June 2019. | Existing staff. | Technology Officers. |
| Incorporate referrals and intelligence from the community and council officers regarding empty homes. | Ongoing. | Existing staff. | Empty Homes Development Officer. |
IMAGE: Page 1 presents the objective and a four-column action plan table covering actions to understand and map long-term empty homes across Orkney, with timescales, resources and responsible officers.
Objective: Develop a process based on advice and assistance to bring empty properties back into use.
| Action. | Timescale. | Resources. | Responsibility. |
|---|
| Produce empty homes leaflets and posters to be distributed to empty home owners and within the community. | Ongoing. | Existing staff. | Empty Homes Development Officer. |
| Twenty properties to be brought back into use each year. | 31 October each year. | Existing staff. | Empty Homes Development Officer. |
| Consider the potential loan/grant funding for incentivising owners to bring empty homes back into use. | Ongoing. | Existing staff. | Housing Services. |
| Advertise and promote the Empty Homes Matchmaker to encourage more people to advertise their properties through it. | Ongoing. | Existing staff. | Empty Homes Development Officer. |
| Establish further discounts to encourage empty home owners to renovate their properties. | October 2018. | Existing staff and outside retailers. | Empty Homes Development Officer. |
IMAGE: Page 2 presents the objective and a four-column action plan table covering advice, assistance, publicity, funding, the Empty Homes Matchmaker and discounts to bring empty properties back into use.
| Action. | Timescale. | Resources. | Responsibility. |
|---|
| Establish and improve internal relationships with other departments so that the number of people assisted to renovate their empty homes is optimised. | Ongoing. | Existing staff. | Empty Homes Development Officer. |
| Continue the use of the Matchmaker Scheme. | Ongoing. | Existing staff and members of the development trusts. | Empty Homes Development Officer. |
Objective: Raise awareness of issues relating to empty homes across Orkney.
| Action. | Timescale. | Resources. | Responsibility. |
|---|
| Contact and establish links with all the Development Trusts across Orkney. | May 2018. | Existing staff. | Empty Homes Development Officer. |
| Assist at least two Development Trusts to apply for Scottish Government Funding and renovate the homes thereafter. | June 2019. | Existing staff. | Team Leader (Policy and Planning), Empty Homes Development Officer. |
| Use local media to promote work undertaken by the Empty Homes Development Officer. | Bi-yearly. | Existing staff. | Empty Homes Development Officer. |
| Continue to promote the Orkney Empty Homes Scheme through the Scottish Empty Homes Officers Network. | Ongoing, every three months. | Existing staff. | Empty Homes Development Officer. |
IMAGE: Page 3 continues the action plan for bringing empty properties back into use, then presents the objective and actions for raising awareness of empty homes through Development Trusts, local media and the Scottish Empty Homes Officers Network.
Objective: Raise awareness of issues relating to empty homes across Orkney.
| Action. | Timescale. | Resources. | Responsibility. |
|---|
| Update the ‘Empty Homes’ page on the Council website to include up to date information and case studies. | Every six months, June and December. | Existing staff. | Empty Homes Development Officer. |
| Provide information and advice documents to Elected Members so they can raise awareness of the Empty Homes Scheme to constituents in their ward. | Yearly. | Existing staff. | Empty Homes Development Officer. |
| Establish links with community groups and Development Trusts, allowing them to support members of their communities. | Ongoing. | Existing staff. | Empty Homes Development Officer. |
Objective: Work with Development Trusts and communities to improve housing in their area.
| Action. | Timescale. | Resources. | Responsibility. |
|---|
| Continue regular contact with Development Trusts across Orkney. | Ongoing. | Existing staff. | Empty Homes Development Officer. |
| Produce advertising posters for use by the Development Trusts. | Ongoing. | Existing staff. | Empty Homes Development Officer. |
IMAGE: Page 4 presents actions to maintain awareness through the Council website, Elected Members, community groups and Development Trusts, followed by actions to work with Development Trusts and communities to improve housing in their area.
