Tim Farron asks for minister’s support in bringing empty homes in Cumbria back into use

On the floor of the House of Commons this afternoon, local MP Tim Farron asked the Minister for Local Government, Alison McGovern, to help bring empty homes back into use in Cumbria.

Westmorland and Furness is the fifth-worst area in England for empty properties, according to government data analysed by campaign group Action on Empty Homes.

The local Council has committed to hiring three dedicated staff specifically to deal with empty homes and to bring back into use 1,000 of them over the next five years.

Speaking during Housing, Communities, and Local Government Questions, Tim said: “In Westmorland, we've got 3500 empty properties. That’s the 5th highest number of any local authority in the country.

“The council has invested in three additional staff to try to make sure we bring some of those back into permanent use to house homeless people.

“But what powers could she give the local authority to take forward the powers that do exist to requisition empty homes that have been empty for a long period of time, for the use of temporary and emergency accommodation for people in communities like ours?”

Minister Alison McGovern responded: “I thank the gentleman for his important question.

“Of course, we all want to see empty homes brought up into use and councils already have extensive powers in this area.

“My job as a local government minister is to make sure that we stabilise council funding so that they're able to invest in that action, but if he would like to engage with the department on powers that he would like to see, our door is very much open.”