The leader of Stafford Borough Council has called for stronger powers to tackle derelict buildings after the owners of a long-standing eyesore were fined.
The owners of Greyfriars House, the former job centre in Stafford, were ordered to pay more than £56,000 for failing to comply with an enforcement notice requiring them to secure and tidy the property.
Eaglemount Limited was found guilty at Newcastle-under-Lyme Magistrates' Court on 28 September. It was fined £1,000, plus £100 for every day the notice was breached, totalling £52,700, with £2,000 costs and a £400 surcharge.
Cllr Aidan Godfrey welcomed the prosecution but said the process was lengthy and did not fix the building's condition.
He urged the Government to give councils tougher tools, including enhanced charges on empty properties, greater ability to take over neglected buildings, fast-tracked compulsory purchase and stronger penalties for non-compliance.
‘When they disregard notices or neglect their duties, we need to be able to take swift action,’ he said.
