A group of councillors have called for someone to step into such a role after figures showed there are at least 120 properties in the district classed as long term vacant
It should be someone’s job at Chorley Council to try to reduce the number of empty homes in the borough, a group of councillors has recommended.
A report produced by the committee noted that unoccupied homes are more likely to attract antisocial behaviour, as well as fly-tipping and even arson. Chorley Council previously employed an enforcement officer whose role was split between dealing with empty properties and issues at licenced premises in the district. However, that post was dissolved two years ago and replaced with one whose sole focus was licensing breaches.
However, she also warned that a council target for there not to be any more than 150 empty homes in the borough meant that it had been tempting to deal with easier-to-solve properties, rather than the stubborn examples which had lain vacant for several years. Cabinet member for planning and development Alistair Morwood agreed that simply ensuring that the specified threshold was not crossed was perhaps not the most effective way of tackling the issue.