Concerns over empty council homes for vulnerable people as tents seen in city
There are serious concerns over empty homes owned by Gloucester City Council which were intended for vulnerable people with one being found unsecure by opposition councillors.
Conservative councillors are calling for a clear timeline and firm delivery plan for when two empty council-owned properties will actually house people, especially, given the number of people seen living in tents across Gloucester.
They are also concerned about security at these vacant properties which had been bought with the intention to be used as temporary accommodation for those in desperate need of housing.
However, the City Council has put a pause on their plan for the temporary housing due to rising refurbishment costs.
Conservative group leader Stephanie Chambers (Quedgeley Fieldcourt) said: “What we found at these council-owned properties is an absolute failure of basic leadership, and residents will rightly question how this was allowed to happen.”
She said council-owned properties were left unsecure and anyone could walk straight in. These have since been secured.
“That creates obvious risks of damage or unlawful occupation, and it risks dumping yet more costs onto local taxpayers,” she added.
“Yet these buildings have sat empty for more than a year while not housing a single person.
“At the same time, families with children are being placed in hotels and bed and breakfasts, trying to feed children with only a kettle.
“That is not dignity, and it is not right, especially when a building with 18 rooms is sitting empty.
“I am calling on Councillor Jeremy Hilton (LD, Kingsholm and Wotton) and his administration to publish immediately a clear timeline, the total cost to date, and a firm delivery plan with dates for when these council owned properties will actually house people.
“Gloucester residents are paying for answers, and they deserve them now.”
Councillor Sajid Patel (C, Barton and Tredworth) has also raised concerns over the empty properties.
“It’s unbelieable,” he said. “This is the sort of chaos and shambles we’ve been experiencing under the Liberal Democrat-run City Council administration.
“We found the buillding unsecure. The building is empty, we found a set of keys to the property for the back door and notified the council.”
The City Council said in a statement that the cost to refurbish properties has risen substantially which has led to a pause in their plans for the homes.
They said have a responsibility to provide safe temporary accommodation for vulnerable residents while also ensuring that public money is spent responsibly.
“Traditionally, refurbishing empty properties has offered a sustainable alternative to using hotels and B&Bs, helping to build longer-term housing capacity and reduce reliance on costly nightly accommodation,” a council spokesperson said.
“However, the economic landscape is volatile meaning construction and refurbishment costs have risen sharply. We are seeing this reflected in tender prices.
“At the same time, national procurement rules, designed to ensure fairness and transparency, can limit the pool of firms able to bid for this work. In some cases, reduced competition has driven costs even higher.
“Given these pressures, we are taking a prudent pause to reassess our approach.
“This does not mean stepping back from supporting vulnerable residents; it means ensuring that every option – whether refurbishment or temporary accommodation in hotels and B&Bs – is carefully evaluated against current market conditions and the impact on council taxpayers.
Housing cabinet member Luke Shervey (LD, Longlevens) said the council must strike a balance between “doing the right thing for people who need our help and protecting the public purse”.
“At times when refurbishment costs escalate beyond what can reasonably be justified, it is right that we pause, review the evidence, and make decisions based on affordability, efficiency and long-term benefit to the community,” he said.
“We will continue to explore ways to increase housing supply and reduce reliance on emergency accommodation, while being transparent with residents about the financial realities driving these difficult decisions.”