Empty council properties needing repair works are taking up to two months on average to re-let, members of the council heard.
At the March meeting of Pembrokeshire County Council’s full council, Kilgetty and Begelly county Councillor Alistair Cameron asked: “Could the relevant cabinet member advise council as to how long on average it is taking to turn around empty council homes before they can be re-let during the current financial year?”
In a related question, he also asked what action the authority was taking to speed up the re-letting of empty homes.”
Replying to the question, Cabinet Member for Housing Operations & Regulatory Services Cllr Michelle Bateman said the average time for properties needing minor works was some 60 days, with those requiring major works excluded from report figures.
Cllr Bateman said some of the delays had been due to a difficulty in recruiting staff.
Cllr Cameron, who had highlighted several long-term empty properties in his local area, said: “I fully understand it’s a lack of staff within the council; I would stress this is not the fault of council workers at all, if you can’t get the staff, you can’t get the work done.”
Members heard a full report was expected at the June meeting of the council’s services overview and scrutiny committee.
Help keep news FREE for our readers
Supporting your local community newspaper/online news outlet is crucial now more than ever. If you believe in independent journalism, then consider making a valuable contribution by making a one-time or monthly donation. We operate in rural areas where providing unbiased news can be challenging. Read More About Supporting The West Wales Chronicle
