A councillor has renewed her call for York to take up powers to manage long-term empty properties in the city.

Coun. Tracey Simpson-Laing was speaking following the news that Selby District Council is taking advantage of powers under the 2004 Housing Act, which enable local authorities to take over the management of long-term empty private accommodation.

She said:

"Use of Empty Dwelling Management Orders (EDMOs) is, as has been said in the past, a last resort but one that should not be discounted. The current Lib Dem administration has done exactly that, characteristically avoiding doing anything that it is not obliged to do.
"It is something of a poor reflection on this council that it argues against such a sensible policy, and a policy that a council with less means than York has been able to implement by using its initiative.

"The housing shortage in York is acute and the council should do everything in its powers to tackle that. Providing extra housing for local people is a priority for local Labour and this is one example of how we would do things differently to the ConDem alliance.

"There are examples of best practice in use of EDMOs in other authorities and York should be looking at how it is done. The other difference between ourselves and the Lib Dems and Tories is we recognise the social impact of leaving properties empty for long periods of time. Even if the saleable value of a property is depressed, there are other options for landlords to leaving it empty. Unfortunately the Tories would do nothing and that is no help at all if we are to have any pride in our neighbourhoods".

"We have over 400 properties in York that could be subject to EDMOs and if Selby can use the necessary powers for some 300 properties there, then the problem here is the will rather than the way".