Elizabeth Fish

The City of Lincoln Council’s Executive has agreed on funding to continue bringing empty homes back to use.

At the Executive Committee on March 24, councillors agreed to jointly pay for the Empty Homes Project Officer position, with time shared between the city council and North Kesteven District Council.

The project has managed to bring 60 unused homes back into use across the city since 2010.

Councillor Ric Metcalfe, Leader of the council, said: “It’s absolutely essential that we get as many empty homes back into use to deal with the acute housing shortage faced by the city.

“Our empty homes staff have done a fantastic job in bringing 63 such homes back into use in the last three years.

“These have represented in the past a wicked waste of resources, often blighting local neighbourhoods when properties have begun to deteriorate.

“It also gets some recognition for income derived from the Government’s New Homes Bonus Scheme.

“The money spent on employing an Empty Homes Officer is money very well spent and is more than recouped in terms of achieving some of the benefits of bringing such homes back into use for people to buy or rent.”

The pilot first launched in 2010 using Housing Renewal Grant funding from the Regional Housing Group via a partnership of six local authorities in Lincolnshire.

The project was then extended in Lincoln to March 31, 2014, with a joint partnership between CoLC and NKDC, who already wish to continue the arrangement.

The post will cost the council £20,000 per year and be funded out of the improved budget for the New Homes Bonus.

Around 70 foot of copper piping has been stolen from the sports pavilion on the West Common in Lincoln.

The theft happened on the common off Carholme Road at around 9.45am on March 23.

It is believed men broke in through a small window and ripped the piping off the walls without the water being switched off. Fittings and other piping was also taken.

Lincolnshire Police are keen to find the offenders as part of Operation Brompton.

Anyone with any information or may have spotted someone acting suspiciously around the time should contact Lincolnshire Police on 101, quoting incident number 132 of 23/03/2014, or contact Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.

The pavilion next to the tennis courts on the West Common in Lincoln. Map: Google

Operation Brompton was set up in 2011 to tackle the rise of metal theft in the county.

The operation aims to reduce metal theft crime; to identify, arrest and prosecute offenders involved; reduce the opportunity to commit the crime by target hardening and disrupting disposal routes; ensure legislative compliance by Scrap Metal Dealers; and increase intelligence.