Date: Thursday, 21st October 2010

Time: 10.40am – 3.15pm (including networking lunch)

Cost: £225 per place, £175 for two or more place

With reports suggesting that fewer than 100,000 homes will be built in 2011, empty homes look set to play a pivotal role in helping to address the UK’s housing supply shortfall. But exactly what kind of support will the Government provide for councils, RSLs and charities in order to maximize the use of empty homes; and whatever the level and form of help on offer, how can available incentives and enforcement powers be innovatively used to revitalise empty properties and regenerate communities?

Answers to these questions and more will be debated at Westminster Briefing’s forthcoming Empty Homes event. Empty Homes Network’s David Gibbens will form part of an expert panel tackling key issues, such as:

• Bringing empty homes into use voluntarily: intelligent, cost-effective use of grants and tax incentives
• Helping local authorities: what are the future empty property funding arrangements for councils?
• Housing providers: how does the Government intend to support RSLs to invest in empty homes?
• The third sector: more responsibility & more support for housing charities and community groups?
• Enforcement action: rethinking and making effective use of powers available to councils
• The wider implications of empty homes: analysing the impact on anti-social behaviour & crime

To view a full agenda please click here

Delegates will be drawn from a wide range of stakeholders. These will include; local authorities (in particular empty property officers, housing officers, regeneration and economic development officers), council members, RSLs, charities and community groups, legal companies, relevant central government departments and bodies, developers, letting agents and any other practitioner with an interest in maximising the use of empty properties.

Most speakers are now confirmed as follows:

• (Chair) Cllr Ric Pallister, Executive Member, Health, Housing and Social Inclusion, SSDC (confirmed)
• HCA representative (invited)
• David Gibbens, Policy & Support, Empty Homes Network (confirmed)
• David Ireland, Chief Executive, Empty Homes Agency (confirmed)
• James Rowlands, Strategy Manager, RICS (confirmed)
•  Matthew Smith, Empty Property Team, Birmingham City Council (confirmed)