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| Compulsory purchase. |
5. - (1) Section 17 of the Housing Act 1985 (acquisition of land for housing purposes) is amended as follows.
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(2) In subsection (1), after paragraph (b) insert-
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"(ba) acquire unoccupied dwellings within the meaning of the Empty Homes Act 1999 for the purpose of returning them to residential use as part of its empty homes strategy,". |
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| Council tax. |
6. - (1) The Local Government Finance Act 1992 is amended as follows.
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(2) After section 13 (reduced amounts) insert the following new section-
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| "Variable amounts in respect of unoccupied dwellings. |
13A. - (1) The Secretary of State may make regulations allowing a billing authority to require persons who are liable to pay council tax in respect of an unoccupied dwelling within the meaning of the Empty Homes Act 1999 to pay an amount which is not less than half nor more than twice the amount which it would be apart from this section.
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(2) Without prejudice to the generality, the regulations shall-
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(a) provide for the amount such persons are liable to pay to be calculated in accordance with the authority's empty homes strategy; and |
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(b) require the authority to publish the calculation.". |
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| Financial provisions. |
7. There shall be paid out of money provided by Parliament-
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(a) any expenditure under this Act incurred by the Secretary of State; |
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(b) any increase attributable to this Act in the sums so payable under any other Act. |
| Short title and commencement. |
8. - (1) This Act may be cited as the Empty Homes Act 1999.
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(2) This Act shall come into force on such day as the Secretary of State may by statutory instrument appoint.
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