Long Term Empty Properties

The request was successful.

Dear West Berkshire Council,
I am writing to you to request the following information under the Freedom of Information Act:

1) Can the council confirm their current number of Long Term Empty Properties as of the 8th May (those domestic properties which have been empty for six months or older)
2) What work is the council currently undertaking or planning to undertake around reducing their long term empty properties in 2019?
3) During 2018 did you undertake any work around reducing your Long Term Empty Properties. If you did was this done using internal resource or a third party?
4) If yes is the answer to question three, did the council review every single long term property
5) Does the reduction of empty homes in the council area form part of your Housing strategy?
6) Does the council have a budget in place to help support the reduction of empty properties?
7) How much did the council spend on temporary accommodation during 2018?
8) Does the council offer financial support /loans to Long Term Empty property owners to help them bring properties back into use?

Yours faithfully,

Harriet Bell

foi, West Berkshire Council

FoI/2019/558

 

Dear Ms Bell,

 

Request for information: Long Term Empty Properties

 

Thank you for your request received 16^th May 2019; we will respond within
twenty working days.

 

Yours sincerely

 

Suzi Kenchington 

Information Compliance Officer

Legal and Strategic Support,

West Berkshire Council, Council Offices, Market Street, Newbury, RG14 5LD

email:  [1][email address]

' 01635 519860 (external)      '  2860 (internal)      

P Do you really need to print this email?

 

From: Harriet Bell [mailto:[FOI #576660 email]]
Sent: 16 May 2019 11:21
To: foi <[West Berkshire Council request email]>
Subject: Freedom of Information request - Long Term Empty Properties

 

This is an EXTERNAL EMAIL. STOP. THINK before you CLICK links or OPEN
attachments.

Dear West Berkshire Council,
I am writing to you to request the following information under the Freedom
of Information Act:

1) Can the council confirm their current number of Long Term Empty
Properties as of the 8th May (those domestic properties which have been
empty for six months or older)
2) What work is the council currently undertaking or planning to undertake
around reducing their long term empty properties in 2019?
3) During 2018 did you undertake any work around reducing your Long Term
Empty Properties. If you did was this done using internal resource or a
third party?
4) If yes is the answer to question three, did the council review every
single long term property
5) Does the reduction of empty homes in the council area form part of your
Housing strategy?
6) Does the council have a budget in place to help support the reduction
of empty properties?
7) How much did the council spend on temporary accommodation during 2018?
8) Does the council offer financial support /loans to Long Term Empty
property owners to help them bring properties back into use?

Yours faithfully,

Harriet Bell

-------------------------------------------------------------------

Please use this email address for all replies to this request:
[2][FOI #576660 email]

Is [3][West Berkshire Council request email] the wrong address for Freedom of Information
requests to West Berkshire Council? If so, please contact us using this
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Please note that in some cases publication of requests and responses will
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show quoted sections

foi, West Berkshire Council

FoI/2019/558

 

Dear Ms Bell,

 

Request for information: Long Term Empty Properties

 

Please can you clarify whether your request relates to Council owned empty
properties or all empty properties in the district?

 

Once we have received this clarification we will respond to your request.

 

Yours sincerely

 

Suzi Kenchington 

Information Compliance Officer

Legal and Strategic Support,

West Berkshire Council, Council Offices, Market Street, Newbury, RG14 5LD

email:  [1][email address]

' 01635 519860 (external)      '  2860 (internal)      

P Do you really need to print this email?

 

From: Harriet Bell [[2]mailto:[FOI #576660 email]]
Sent: 16 May 2019 11:21
To: foi <[3][West Berkshire Council request email]>
Subject: Freedom of Information request - Long Term Empty Properties

 

This is an EXTERNAL EMAIL. STOP. THINK before you CLICK links or OPEN
attachments.

Dear West Berkshire Council,
I am writing to you to request the following information under the Freedom
of Information Act:

1) Can the council confirm their current number of Long Term Empty
Properties as of the 8th May (those domestic properties which have been
empty for six months or older)
2) What work is the council currently undertaking or planning to undertake
around reducing their long term empty properties in 2019?
3) During 2018 did you undertake any work around reducing your Long Term
Empty Properties. If you did was this done using internal resource or a
third party?
4) If yes is the answer to question three, did the council review every
single long term property
5) Does the reduction of empty homes in the council area form part of your
Housing strategy?
6) Does the council have a budget in place to help support the reduction
of empty properties?
7) How much did the council spend on temporary accommodation during 2018?
8) Does the council offer financial support /loans to Long Term Empty
property owners to help them bring properties back into use?

Yours faithfully,

Harriet Bell

-------------------------------------------------------------------

Please use this email address for all replies to this request:
[4][FOI #576660 email]

Is [5][West Berkshire Council request email] the wrong address for Freedom of Information
requests to West Berkshire Council? If so, please contact us using this
form:
[6]https://www.whatdotheyknow.com/change_re...

Disclaimer: This message and any reply that you make will be published on
the internet. Our privacy and copyright policies:
[7]https://www.whatdotheyknow.com/help/offi...

For more detailed guidance on safely disclosing information, read the
latest advice from the ICO:
[8]https://www.whatdotheyknow.com/help/ico-...

Please note that in some cases publication of requests and responses will
be delayed.

If you find this service useful as an FOI officer, please ask your web
manager to link to us from your organisation's FOI page.

show quoted sections

Dear foi,
I can confirm that I am seeking the number of all long empty properties in the borough, not just those owned by the council.

Many thanks for your help in this matter.

Yours sincerely,

Harriet Bell

foi, West Berkshire Council

FoI/2019/558

Dear Ms Bell,

Request for information: Long Term Empty Properties

Thank you for your email. A response will be provided within twenty
working days.

 

Yours sincerely,

 

Suzi Kenchington 

Information Compliance Officer

Legal and Strategic Support,

West Berkshire Council, Council Offices, Market Street, Newbury, RG14 5LD

email:  [1][email address]

' 01635 519860 (external)      '  2860 (internal)      

P Do you really need to print this email?

 

From: Harriet Bell [mailto:[FOI #576660 email]]
Sent: 11 June 2019 11:47
To: foi <[West Berkshire Council request email]>
Subject: Re: FoI/2019/558- Bell

 

This is an EXTERNAL EMAIL. STOP. THINK before you CLICK links or OPEN
attachments.

Dear foi,
I can confirm that I am seeking the number of all long empty properties in
the borough, not just those owned by the council.

Many thanks for your help in this matter.

Yours sincerely,

Harriet Bell

show quoted sections

foi, West Berkshire Council

FoI/2019/558

Dear Ms Bell,

Request for information: Long Term Empty Properties

Please see below the Council’s response to your request for information.

 

You have asked;

 

1) Can the council confirm their current number of Long Term Empty
Properties as of the 8th May (those domestic properties which have been
empty for six months or older)

There were 395 domestic properties in West Berkshire that had been empty
for six months or more, as at 8^th May 2019

2) What work is the council currently undertaking or planning to undertake
around reducing their long term empty properties in 2019?

We respond to complaints and enquiries relating to long term empty homes.

3) During 2018 did you undertake any work around reducing your Long Term
Empty Properties. If you did was this done using internal resource or a
third party?

No project work was undertaken.

4) If yes is the answer to question three, did the council review every
single long term property

No

5) Does the reduction of empty homes in the council area form part of your
Housing strategy?

Yes

6) Does the council have a budget in place to help support the reduction
of empty properties?

There is no specific budget for this work.

7) How much did the council spend on temporary accommodation during 2018?

£513,856.12

8) Does the council offer financial support /loans to Long Term Empty
property owners to help them bring properties back into use?

Yes

 

If you are unhappy with the way your request has been handled or the
outcome of your request, you may ask for an internal review. You should
contact The FoI Reviewing Officer, Strategic Support, Council Offices,
Market Street, Newbury RG14 5LD, email [1][email address] , within 40
working days, if you wish to request a review.

 

If you are not content with the outcome of the internal review, you have
the right to apply directly to the Information Commissioner for a
decision. The Information Commissioner can be contacted at:

Information Commissioner’s Office, Wycliffe House, Water Lane, Wilmslow,
Cheshire SK9 5AF

 

Yours sincerely,

 

Suzi Kenchington 

Information Compliance Officer

Legal and Strategic Support,

West Berkshire Council, Council Offices, Market Street, Newbury, RG14 5LD

email:  [2][email address]

' 01635 519860 (external)      '  2860 (internal)      

P Do you really need to print this email?

 

From: Harriet Bell [[3]mailto:[FOI #576660 email]]
Sent: 11 June 2019 11:47
To: foi <[4][West Berkshire Council request email]>
Subject: Re: FoI/2019/558- Bell

 

This is an EXTERNAL EMAIL. STOP. THINK before you CLICK links or OPEN
attachments.

Dear foi,
I can confirm that I am seeking the number of all long empty properties in
the borough, not just those owned by the council.

Many thanks for your help in this matter.

Yours sincerely,

Harriet Bell

show quoted sections