Nearly 100 former cannabis factories in Stoke-on-Trent have been brought back into use as homes over the last four years, councillors have been told.

Stoke-on-Trent City Council's empty homes team has been working with Staffordshire Police to respond to properties where officers have shut down cannabis grows.

In the past four years police have notified the team of 149 such houses across the city, with 99 of these now occupied as homes again.

Members of the council's housing, regeneration and operations scrutiny committee were given an update on the work of the empty homes team, including the partnership with the police.

Tomos Jones, strategic manager for housing, told the committee that the Stoke-on-Trent has a higher than average number of empty homes, largely due to deprivation levels and poor quality housing.

In September there were 3,285 empty private homes in the city, of which 1,746 had been vacant for six months or more.

Mr Jones said: "That number of empty homes is a wasted resource, when there are so many people looking for housing in the city. But empty homes also become targets for anti-social behaviour and criminal activity.

"So there's clearly very good reasons for bringing empty homes back into use."

Mr Jones said the council had a 'very active' programme looking at properties being used as cannabis factories.

He added: "Over the last four years we've been notified of 149 properties being used for that purpose.

"Where the police have gone in and dealt with the perpetrators, we've swiftly followed that up by talking to owners of properties, making sure they're secure and bringing them back into use.

"We've brought 99 of the 149 houses back into use through that process."

The team's wider work typically involves 'persuasion and encouragement' to get property owners to bring empty homes back into use.

But it is also able to use various legal powers such as enforced sales and compulsory purchase orders, although this can be a lengthy process.

Council chiefs recently created a £1 million capital fund to support this work over the next two years.

Mr Jones said the team usually brings around 100 properties back into use annually, but with the additional resource it is expected to get to 150 this year, potentially reaching 200 a year in future.

Councillor Duncan Walker, cabinet member for housing, praised the team, describing them as 'unsung heroes'.

He said: "It's moving in the right direction, and I'm pleased we put this additional money in to support the team.

"The legal implications can be really frustrating. It can be 12 months before you get a hearing. But to bring 150 homes back into use this year is really positive, with the potential for 200 next year."