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Press Release
independent campaigning
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solutions to bring empty property back back
into use.
into use.

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“The abolition of this discount release –28
a great February
move,” said Mr.2005
Ellis. “But we hope that this cross party
call to think again over the retention of council tax will act as a spur for the Government to think
again on this issue.London and Kent join Council Tax Campaign

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Release
said Mr. Ellis.
“As of April 1st 2004, Local Authorities across the country have had the discretionary right to abol-
ish the long standing discount on council tax for empty property,” explained Jonathan Ellis Chief
Executive of the Empty Homes Agency an independent ENDS campaigning charity. “For too long this
discount had acted as a perverse incentive to keep property empty.

Notes forcampaigned
The Agency Editors: for many years for the discretionary abolition of this discount, and we
welcomed this development in the 2003 Local Government Act. However at the time we said that
1. For further
the Government information
had missed a majorplease contactfor
opportunity Shashi Ionnides,
allowing councilsCommunications
to ring fence theManager
additionalat the
Empty Homes Agency on 020 7 828 6288
income to fund their work on bringing empty properties back into use.”

This call for the retention of additional council tax income from the abolition of the empty property
discount has been welcomed by Ken Livingstone, Mayor of London, Cllr Tony Newman, Chair of
the Association of London Government’s (ALG) Housing Committee, and Sir Sandy Bruce-
Lockhart Leader of Kent County Council and Chairman of the Local Government Association.

The Mayor of London Ken Livingstone said:

“We urgently need to meet the huge need for housing in London, now and in the future. This in-
volves building new homes and making the best possible use of our existing housing by returning
empty homes to use. The Metropolitan Police have also highlighted that empty homes pose a threat
to creating safe communities where people want to live.

I am fully behind this campaign to increase the resources available to London's boroughs for inten-
sifying their vital work on tackling empty homes.”

The Chair of the Association of London Government’s (ALG) Housing Committee, Cllr Tony
Newman, said:

"The Association of London Government strongly supports this campaign which will provide extra
funds for London boroughs to build on their valuable work on tackling the problem of empty
homes.

Freeing up more properties could help tackle homelessness in London by providing alternative
HeadHead
OfficeOffice
forms of temporary accommodation for homeless families." EmptyEmpty
Homes Agency
Hom es Agency
195-197 Victoria
195-197 StreetStreet
Victoria
London London
The Leader of Kent County Council Sir Sandy Bruce-Lockhart said: SW1ESW1E
5NE 5NE
T: 020T:
7828
0206288
7828 6288
F: 020F:
7828
0207006
7828 7006
“The regeneration of our coastal towns is a major priority for Kent County Council and empty
homes, particularly if fallen into disrepair, can be a blight on an area. We believe the retention of Northern Office:
Northern Office:
the council tax discount on empty homes for local re-investment will give an important boost to EmptyEmpty
Homes Agency
Homes Agency
regeneration in Kent and the local housing market.” PO Box PO3609
Box 3609
Barnsley
Barnsley
S75 1WW
S75 1WW
T/F: 01226 390 093
T/F: 01226 390 093
M: 07719 798 033
M: 07719 798 033