BURNLEY Council is set to consider proposals to spend more than £2 million to try and reduce the number of empty homes in the borough.

If approved the funding will see money spent on a number of schemes including continuing the Vacant Property Initiative which brings back long term empty properties back into use.

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The homes will then be sold on to fund further purchases and renovations.

Councillor John Harbour, Burnley Council’s deputy leader, said: “This council has long seen the importance of tackling housing issues. We still face significant challenges, but The amount of money we receive to take positive steps has really declined.

“Back in 2008, we were spending housing grants of £19.5 million.”

Funding for the project is expected to come from revenue the council has set aside from selling unwanted properties and £700,000 of borrowing, set against future anticipated income.

The proposals, which have been set out in a report published for the council’s Executive Committee, would also see a continuation of an empty homes programme aimed at tackling concentrations of empty properties particularly in the Gannow, Queensgate and Trinity wards.

This would be through acquisition and resale, and loans to landlords.

The funding would also see the heating rebate programme continue, to help people out of fuel poverty by repairing or replacing the central heating systems of those most in need.

Currently 15.4 per cent of the population of Burnley are in fuel poverty, compared to the national average for England of 10.9 per cent.

£60,000 of funding would also be used to continue the ‘emergency repairs’ scheme.

Cllr Harbour added: “This year, apart from disabled facilities grants, we have received no housing grants at all.

“Nevertheless, we have generated some limited resources for ourselves, and we want to use these carefully and to good effect, in order to support people, and to assist all areas of the borough.

“Those will be the principles we have in mind when we are deciding on these plans.”

The scheme also assists vulnerable occupiers with emergency repairs to their homes, which left unaddressed could cause an imminent risk to their health and well-being.

The proposals will be discussed by the council’s executive at a meeting at Burnley Town Hall on Monday, February 16.