House of pain

9:50am Saturday 29th March 2008

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The reported comments of the council leader (?), Coun Steve Galloway, never cease to amaze me ("The softly-softly approach just hasn't worked", The Press, March 26).

The property in Almsford Road which was the subject of the article has been vacant for some eight years, subjected to vandalism for a fair amount of that period, and raised by me with the council on numerous occasions for some five years.

Yet what is the response of the council leader? Nothing but excuses, excuses, excuses as to why he considers nothing can be done to alleviate the horrendous problems that the neighbours in the area are having to suffer.

As far as I am aware, none of his exemptions as to why the council cannot pursue an EDMO (Empty Dwelling Management Order) apply in this case. He refers to the process being "time-consuming" and the council not having "sufficient resources" to pursue this case - in other words, he is hiding behind the cloak of bureaucracy and indecision which is the hallmark of his "leadership".

For years we have had to suffer Coun Galloway blaming everybody under the sun for his and the Lib-Dem group's failings, even council officers were the butt of his blame at the public executive committee meeting last week. It's about time he was awarded the MBE (Master of Blame and Excuses).

As far as the property in Almsford Road is concerned, my fellow councillor, Tracey Simpson-Laing, and I will be pushing for urgent action and not just relying on a promised review some time in July.

My opinions of the action, or should I say inaction, of the property owner are best kept to myself, but how he can live with the problems he has caused his former neighbours beggars belief.

Coun David Horton, Acomb Ward, Top Lane, Copmanthorpe.

• Once again Coun Steve Galloway, rather than acting and using available powers from the Government that are backed by this Lib-Dem Party at a national level, comes up with excuses for why Acomb residents should continue to live next to an empty nightmare property.

I ask, would he feel the same if he lived near this house?

Coun Galloway, I know there are rules for properties to qualify for Empty Dwelling Management Orders (EDMOs), I explained some of them to you at council in January.

You will know from officers that the Acomb property in question does not fall into any of the exempt categories and so could be considered for an EDMO.

My second question, Coun Galloway, is how can the council continue to justify the cost to the police and fire service every time they are called to this property, which is then passed on to York residents through the precept part of all residents' council tax?

Yes, York residents are paying indirectly for this and similar properties.

EDMOs are a tool to bring back empty property into use. The owner does not lose the property and the rent paid during the seven years the order lasts pays for the work that needs to be undertaken to bring back the property into use.

For a city with unreachable house prices for first-time buyers and renters, this type of property needs to be in use.

But the main reason such properties need sorting out is for the sake of those who live nearby due to the effects to their own property and quality of life.

Coun Tracey Simpson-Laing, Acomb Ward, Salisbury Road, York.