FIFTY homes in the Cotswolds have been sitting empty for two years or more.

The figures, revealed through a Freedom of Information request by the Liberal Democrats, show that there are 296 empty homes across the district.

Of these, 50 had been empty for two years or more, 13 of those for five years or more, and seven of them have stood empty for at least ten years.

In response, Cotswold District Council chiefs admitted “concern” about the lack of affordable housing, particularly in Stow-on-the-Wold.

Lib Dem leader on Cotswold District Council, Cllr Joe Harris said: “At a time when the homelessness crisis is worsening and you see more and more people are sleeping out in the cold on our streets, it is a scandal that so many homes are sitting empty.

“We believe that the Government needs to urgently review the current system which is clearly not working and CDC needs to be given the powers and resources to bring empty homes back into use.

“It is shameful that CDC doesn’t appear to have used its existing powers to end this scandal. Some local families are homeless because of Conservative inaction and ineptitude.”

Cotswold District Councillor for Stow, Dilys Neill, a Liberal Democrat, said: “Hundreds of units for elderly people have been given planning permission in Stow recently which will benefit wealthier older people but we haven’t seen affordable hosing for the rest of the population.

“These empty homes could be turned into affordable places to live for those that need it.”

Cllr Stephen Hirst, cabinet member for housing at CDC said: “We have a mandatory duty to house the homeless and we are increasing our efforts to bring empty homes into use; in order to do this we have employed more officers to spearhead this important activity.

“In the past, private landlords have preferred to leave their properties empty rather than housing the homeless or those in imminent danger of becoming homeless. We shall be concentrating our efforts to bring these houses into the district’s housing stock so that we will have a ready supply of homes.

“We have recently carried out a survey of rough sleepers in order to determine the size of this problem and we have ascertained that we have only one rough sleeper - and this is through personal choice.

“However, we will continue to keep a vigilant eye on the issue “We have been concerned about the lack of affordable homes in Stow-on-the-Wold for some time.”