SWINDON Empty Homes Partnership will mark the National Week of Action on Empty Homes by holding the annual Residential Lettings/Empty Homes Exhibition next week.

Swindon Borough Council launched an Empty Homes Strategy in 1997 to promote the return to use of empty homes in the private sector.

Although initially focused on empty homes, attention has also been paid to vacant commercial premises to convert to residential use.

Swindon Empty Homes Partnership, comprising of the council, Jephson Homes Housing Association and James Butcher Housing Association, has implemented the strategy. Since 1997 the partnership played a key role in returning more than 300 empty, private homes back into use.

The exhibition is a drop-in event and is being held at the Steam museum next Thursday and is open to visitors from noon to 2pm and 4pm to 6pm in the lecture room.

Visitors can get free advice from the Inland Revenue, the Empty Homes Partnership, the council's residential services and forward planning departments.