Cork council's bill for renting shutters for boarded-up homes is queried

Cork City Council has spent more than €220,000 in the last year on boarding up homes in advance of refurbishment or demolition, with fees paid daily for the rent of these shutters.

At last week’s city council meeting, the council’s acting director of housing Nicky Carroll told Sinn Féin councillor Kenneth Collins that the local authority had spent €221,492 on boarding up homes, both private and council-owned, in the last 12 months. Mr Collins was told that this figure applied to 198 homes, which meant the shutters cost an average of €1,118 per home.

A council spokesperson told The Echo that shutters were utilised for many reasons, with the majority of homes being vacant and undergoing a revamp.

“The amount spent on securing vacant properties being refurbished by Cork City Council in the last 12 months is €149,449,” they said.

“While the number of properties varied over the 12-month period, the number of vacant properties being refurbished incurring security costs at the end of August was 104. This represents less than 1% of the overall housing stock.”

They added that the amount spent on securing vacant properties in advance of capital works was €1,543, which was for two properties.

“The amount spent on securing vacant properties in advance of demolition for redevelopment was €67,620, which is for 88 properties,” the spokesperson said.

“The amount spent on securing derelict properties in advance of capital works was €2,880, which is for four properties.

“It is very important to note that the steel security panels are hired on a daily rate, and the rate has not changed since 2019.”

Mr Collins was also told by the council that the average annual cost of providing emergency accommodation to a family in Cork city was €87,500.

Mr Collins told The Echo: “The figures are unbelievable. The council has shortfalls all the time; if they didn’t spend all that money shutting up homes, they could be putting it towards doing them up instead, and they could get homes to people a lot faster. They are spending nearly €90k a year on a family in homelessness. These people are crying out for houses that the council is spending money to keep people out of.”

He said that the council should at least be supplying shutters internally instead of paying a daily rate to a private firm.

“Surely, Cork City Council could have a fabricator employed to make these and install them so they can cut out the renting of them,” he said.