Andrew Stunell, local government minister, told delegates at Lib Dem party conference last week that councils will be allowed to charge an empty homes premium – an additional council tax payable on properties that have been left empty for two years or longer. The proposals will also allow councils to keep the extra council tax for an umber of years for new homes brought back into use – this sould be wroth around £9,000 per home.

Since becomnig a councillor in Southwark I’ve made a number of enquiries about empty homes in SOuthwark. Currently we have around 5,250 empty homes and most  have been empty for more than six months.

So these new powers would help the council tackle the shortage of housing in Southwark. Any increase in supply will help us cope with the demand.

Many of these empty properties fall into disrepair such as 32 East Dulwich Grove and become a real blight on our neighbourhoods.

This new measure should help in two ways – first it imposes a financial penalty on owners of long term empty homes. Secondly it will provide funding for the rest of the work the council already does to get these homes back into use.

At last a government has shown leadership on this issue. I hope that Southwark Council will make full use of these powers as soon as they come into force.