Decision details

It was resolved –

•           To note the content of the report reviewing the first year’s operation of the Council Tax premium during the 2017/18 financial year and to date for 2018/19.

•           To undertake a full public consultation on raising the Council Tax Premium to 100% on long-term empty homes and to 35% on second homes. This to be undertaken as part of the public consultation on the 2019/20 Budget proposals.

•           To recommend that an additional £170k per annum generated from the premium should be allocated for the next two years (£340k in total) to the schemes designed to assist first time buyers in order to increase the number of applicants that can be assisted.

•           That the Chief Executive and Head of Function (Resources)/ Section 151 in consultation with the Portfolio Holder write to Welsh Government to highlight the need to close the legal loophole whereby second home properties in the Council Tax system are transferred to business rates.