Hundreds of Northumberland council houses standing empty with thousands on the waiting list

The FOI stated that there were 310 council homes across Cramlington, Blyth and the Seaton Valley standing empty as of February 26, with 220 of these in Blyth itself.

According to figures, Northumberland County Council has lost more than £780,000 in rent across the last year alone due to empty properties.

Cllr Colin Horncastle, cabinet member for housing, has said the number of empty properties has now reduced to 288. He also argued that the county’s figure was comparatively low.

At the end of January, there were around 14,000 people on the county’s housing waiting list.

The county council is currently moving forward with controversial plans to remove more than 8,000 people who are assessed as having no housing need – something the Labour opposition is strictly opposed to.

Cllr Horncastle said: “There are currently around 288 voids out of 8,700 council houses, of which 81 are marked for demolition and will be replaced by new, better houses. Of the remaining 207, eight are sheltered flats we have no demand for, and 12 are maisonettes with no demand.

“There are also nine flats in Allendale which are being refurbished and therefore show up as empty. The 207 voids is less than 2.5% of our housing stock – the national average is 3% to 4%.

“We have allocated a further £1 million in the budget to reduce the backlog of homes that need significant work and we are slowing down non-urgent repairs and the fitting of new kitchens and bathrooms and putting more staff resources into the voids team.

“Does the council like empty properties? No. We have people on the housing list in urgent need, and when we have an empty property we are losing money.

“They are also a magnet for anti-social behaviour. We’re doing the best we can, but if a house is empty there is usually a reason for it. If Scott Dickinson was the leader of the council, it would be exactly the same – all local authorities have void properties.”

The leader of the Labour opposition group Coun Scott Dickinson has said the number of empty properties is unacceptable due to the number of people on the county’s housing list.

Local Labour in Northumberland has been vocal about the council's plans to eliminate band 3 applicants from the Homefinder system. They advocate for a more modern and inclusive approach that prioritises local residents and addresses the needs of those on the waiting list.

Cllr Dickinson said: “The Labour group has regularly raised voids with the council. There are hundreds of them stood empty in disrepair.

“These properties are a blight on communities and they need investment. Where is the investment? To have hundreds of properties standing empty when people are in desperate need is not acceptable.”

Cllr Anna Watson, shadow cabinet member for housing, added: “We will deliver new rented accommodation and bring back into use the council housing that has been left in disrepair and stands unused.”