"Conservatives refuse improvements to bring empty homes back into use" - Lib Dems

12.00.00am BST (GMT +0100) Fri 17th Oct 2008

West Berkshire Liberal Democrats have slammed the Conservative administration for burying their heads in the sand over the District's growing housing shortage and refusing improvements to a strategy designed to bring the hundreds of empty homes in West Berkshire back into use.

Housing spokesman Roger Hunneman outlined the issues, saying, "Liberal Democrats have consistently called for improvements to be made to this strategy which has the potential to benefit many of the vulnerable in West Berkshire. We are in difficult economic times which are seeing many more join our waiting list to be housed, which already stands at well over 4,000. Instead of doing something useful to help this dire situation, the Conservatives have refused to pass important measures which would help to ease the problem"

Conservative Members of the Overview & Scrutiny Commission voted down proposals to:

1) Increase the target for the empty homes to be brought back into use from 18 to 30

2) Increase the overall budget for grants to improve properties from £75,000 to £150,000

3) Make the part time Empty Homes Officer post full time

Northcroft ward Member Tony Vickers, who led the process to get the policy reviewed and improved, commented, "The Conservatives have consistently failed to show any leadership or ambition over this important issue - in 2007/8 they aimed to bring just TWO empty properties back into use and they couldn't even manage to achieve that paltry amount! If the national Empty Homes Agency can have a policy about turning empty offices into homes, I don't see why West Berkshire Council can't as well. It is very sad - but not surprising - that the Tories couldn't bring themselves to support constructive ideas to help more local families in need of homes."