22 October 2008
An extra £15,000 is be injected into planning enforcement to boost the yearly budget of just £5000, the additional funding is part of the housing and planning delivery grant.
Eastbourne Borough Council Cabinet spokesperson for Economy, Tourism and Environment Councillor Steve Wallis says, “Run down properties can badly affect an entire area as well as being a potential target for vandals, it is vital that dilapidated buildings are restored to an acceptable level”
The Difficult Properties Group will use the money to target properties that are an eyesore and making their owners return them to a decent condition.
The Housing and Planning Delivery Grant is awarded by government to local planning authorities who are performing well. Eastbourne looks set to achieve the highest grant of the East Sussex authorities. The Grant of just over £276,000 is being split between:-
- Staffing (£115,000)
- Local Development Framework (£96,000)
- Planning Enforcement (£15,000)
- Court Room refurbishment (£22,000)
- IT Systems (£28,000)
