The Chief Executive submitted a report, the purpose of which, was to seek approval from Cabinet to enter into a service level agreement with Rhondda Cynon Taff County Borough Council for the Valleys Task Force Empty Homes Grant and to delegate authority to Rhondda Cynon Taf County Borough Council (RCT CBC) to deliver and manage Empty Homes Grants to property owners within the Valleys Task Force Area of Bridgend.

The Head of Operations – Community Services explained that the Minister for Housing and Local Government has agreed to support the Valleys taskforce by rolling out an Empty Homes Grant to all local authorities in the taskforce areas, as a pilot for the period from October 2019 to the end of March 2020. £10 million has been set aside for empty properties over the next two years within those areas.

For the pilot stage £4,500,000 has been allocated to deliver the programme. No financial contribution is expected from local authorities for this phase of the Empty Homes Grant programme. For Phase 2 Local Authorities will be expected to make a 35% contribution towards the fund. Phase 1 of the project had been fully supported financially speaking, through grant funding.

The Head of Operations – Community Services, added that this grant will furthermore support the delivery of the Council’s and Welsh Government’s priority of returning empty properties into use in the Valleys areas of Bridgend County Borough, in order to help regenerate communities, provide more choice and suitable accommodation for residents.

The next section of the report gave an overview of the current situation, together with the eligibility and conditions of Valleys Task Force Empty Homes Grant scheme, and the Head of Operations – Community Services, advised that RCT CBC would deliver and manage the Scheme in the Valleys Taskforce area of Bridgend, with BCBC then entering into a Service Level Agreement (SLA) with this Authority to access the allocated funding.

With regards to Phase 2 of the Scheme, the Head of Operations – Community Services stressed that though this would begin in April 2020, with a proposal of the scheme presently being developed. A further report would be provided to Cabinet regarding Phase 2 should the Council be looking to enter into this.

In respect of the next steps, he confirmed that Cabinet would need to consider the proposals detailed in the report and determine whether to progress with Phase 1 of the Scheme and, should this be agreed, then the Authority would sign the SLA to administer the grant.  

The Cabinet Member – Future Generations and Wellbeing, made the point that she was pleased to note that Welsh Government (WG) were tackling the issue of Empty Properties remaining empty. She also noted that the target times for both Phase One and Two (if the latter received Cabinet approval) of the Scheme seemed ambitious. She asked when Phase 1 would be completed and what areas the Scheme covered.

The Head of Operations – Community Services, advised that Phase 1 was due to be completed by 31 March 2020, though he conceded that this was a relatively short timescale within which to take full advantage of the grant.

The Chief Executive advised, that they covered as far as Pontypool to the east and Kidwelly to the west, the 3 main valley areas and certain areas north of the M4. He added however, that the exact extent of the areas needed clarification from WG as these were not clear from the relevant plans. He noted that Coytrahen was not included, though he considered that this village was located at the heads of the valley (ie Maesteg) this location was not included as part of the Valleys Task Force Area of Bridgend.

The Leader, as he had alluded to on a previous agenda item, urged residents with empty properties situate in the Valleys Task Force Area to bring these up to a habitable level, given that there would be funding available from the Council in order to assist here, as referenced to in the report.

RESOLVED:                          That Cabinet:

                  (1)          Approved the outline proposals for the Valleys Task  Force Empty Homes Grant, as set out in the report;

                 (2)       Noted and accepted the risks and issues highlighted in   paragraph 4.5 of the report.

(3)           Delegated authority to RCTCBC to deliver and manage the scheme within the Valleys Taskforce area of Bridgend in accordance with paragraph 4.2 of the report.

Delegated authority to the Head of Operations -  Communities Services, in consultation with the Section 151 Officer and Head of Legal and Regulatory Services, to negotiate and agree the terms of the service level agreement with Rhondda Cynon Taf County Borough Council and enter into the service level agreement.