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Appendix A
Stage 1: Equality Impact Assessment
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To apply a council tax premium to encourage the use of empty properties and generating additional income for the council. Introduction of the change will support the councils objective to provide decent, affordable housing in the right places across a range of tenures by providing landlords and owners of long term empty properties with financial incentives to bring them back into use. The proposals is to introduce an Empty Homes Premium of 50% on all properties which have been empty for two years or more, subject to mandatory exemptions such as where the householder is absent to receive or provide care. The changes would take affect from 1 April 2014.
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· Eliminate unlawful discrimination, harassment and victimization and other conduct prohibited by the act. · Advance equality of opportunity between people who share a protected characteristic and those who do not. · Foster good relations between people who share a protected characteristic and those who do not.
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The change is not expected to have any impact on the councils duty to eliminate discrimination, advance equality of opportunity or foster good relations between people who share protected charachteristics.
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The change is to introiduce an additional premium to an existing liability. It will be delivered as part of the existing billing process for council tax with support provided to residents through theGateway and corporate contact centre. Any existing arrangements for additional support will be continue.
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The
intention of the policy is to reduce the number of properties that remain and
as such is expected to positive Residents being asked to pay the additional premium may see the change as a negative, however, the council provides support to help those individuals bring properties back into use.
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