Early Day Motion on Empty Homes

Conservative Shadow Housing Minister Grant Shapps tabled an early day motion noting that of the 784,000 homes which are currently vacant, 327,000 have been empty for a period of more than six months; despite the presence of 1.8 million families on the social housing waiting list.

The motion calls for an end to Empty Dwelling Management Orders (EDMOs) and the adoption of a less bureaucratic approach to the use of empty dwellings.

The motion can be read here: http://edmi.parliament.uk/EDMi/EDMDetails.aspx?EDMID=39460&SESSION=899

Conservatives back self help solutions

Conservative housing spokesman, Grant Shapps MP, has signaled his support for self help solutions to tackle inner city deprivation. New Start reports his comments in a speech to Royal Institute of British Architects. Mr Shapps said: “We will encourage power to be exercised at the very lowest levels of local government, by which I mean parish, ward, but also street level in order to force faster change directed by the very people it will most affect.”