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Measures to equip councils with powers to bring thousands of long-term empty homes back into use have been debated this week in Parliament.

The new legislation will allow councils to charge double the rate of Council Tax on homes left empty for years. Local authorities can currently levy a 50% premium.

Whilst the number of homes empty for 6 months or longer remains substantially lower than when records began in 2004, councils will be handed powers to levy additional charges on homes standing empty for 2 years or more.

Green deal

The Green Deal scheme aims to encourage people to install insulation or other home improvement measures to cut their energy usage. The policy originally offered loans for homeowners to fund the work but after low take-up ministers began offering cash grants, which have proved hugely popular.

Proposals to create the first state of the art Dementia Centres of Excellence in Staffordshire reached a major milestone today (Thursday) as plans to develop them were formally agreed.

The multi-million pound flagship centres will be developed by partner Symphony – a consortium made up of the Accord Group, Keepmoat and Quattro Architects, in Lichfield and Burton and promise to transform care and support for residents and their families throughout their condition.

Social housing campaign group Generation Rent suggest that Britain’s Houses of Parliament should be converted into affordable flats to save taxpayer money and tackle the housing shortage.

Located in the centre of the UK capital, a riverside one bedroom flat in the historic building could cost as little as £258 per week, according to the activists.

200,000 homes will be made available to first-time buyers in England by 2020 if the Tories win the election – according to David Cameron of course!

The ambitious claim follows the coalition government’s previous announcement to provide 100,000 cut-price homes for people under the age of 40. The PM says the Tories will double that if they gain power, to give more people the security of owning their own home.