Mark Dance, KCC Cabinet Member for Economic Development with Helen Williams, Chief Executive Empty Homes Agency
Recently Appointed Chief Executive Empty Homes Agency visits Kent’s No Use Empty Initiative.
The NUE team were pleased to welcome Helen WIlliams to Kent on 2nd July 2014, during which time she met with KCC Cabinet Member, Mark Dance and was taken to see a variety of projects in Maidstone, Hythe, Folkestone and Dover which are currently being supported with interest free Capital Loans.
Helen Williams said
“On becoming chief executive of the campaigning charity Empty Homes at the end of April, I was advised to visit Kent to see what has been achieved by the No Use Empty initiative. Two things stand out for me about why it has been successful, firstly it is very much a partnership between Kent County Council and twelve district councils and secondly the scheme has been prepared to support owners to refurbish a variety of properties, ranging from former hotels to individual houses and disused spaces above the high street. In my job I am privileged to see many examples of how councils up and down the country are working hard to ensure empty properties are brought back into use to meet local housing needs and I am keen to see approaches such as No Use Empty Initiate spread”.