The Empty Homes Service shared by Angus and Dundee councils has won a prestigious national award in recognition of its success at bringing vacant property back into use.

The service, run by empty homes officer Sean Maxwell since its creation in 2015, has been named Outstanding Service at the Howdens Scottish Empty Homes Champions of the Year Awards. Over the two financial years of the project Sean has helped to bring 106 properties back into use as homes.

Winners were announced at the awards ceremony which took place alongside the Scottish Empty Homes Partnership annual conference earlier this week at The Engine Shed in Stirling.

Shaheena Din, national manager of the Scottish Empty Homes Partnership, said: “I’d like to congratulate Dundee and Angus councils and Sean Maxwell who has run this service extremely effectively. This service provides a broad range of support to owners with empty properties and also shares learning and supports best practice with colleagues across the country.”

The SEHP was set up in 2010 to encourage and support councils to use the most effective methods of bringing empty homes back into use. Over the past eight years members of the SEHP’s network of empty homes specialists have brought more than 3,200 properties back into use. The Partnership is funded by the Scottish Government and hosted by Shelter Scotland.