Pembrokeshire cabinet recommends doubling of tax premium for second homes
Pembrokeshire Cabinet members have recommended increasing the second homes council tax premium to 100% at a meeting today.
The move means that the tax premium on second homes in the county could double from 50% to 100% from April next year. The final decision will be taken by Full Council on October 14th.
The Cabinet also supported a request to retain a 100% premium on long-term empty homes taxes.
The move comes aftre the county increased the council tax premium by 50% on second homes and up to 100% on empty homes in 2017. They currently have the second highest rate of second or empty homes and long term empty homes in Wales, after Gwynedd.
Councillor Bob Kilmister, Cabinet Member for Finance, said: “Following our public consultation, Cabinet met this morning, October 4 and I proposed to recommend a 50 per cent increase in the second home surcharge to full Council, which was agreed.
“While people from elsewhere in the UK find it relatively easy to afford property in Pembrokeshire, it is much more difficult for those living and earning locally,” he told the Tenby Observer.
“A high proportion of second homes in a community also poses a threat to the viability of local schools and opportunities to nurture and grow the Welsh language.”
The consultation was launched in April following concerns that the number of second homes in the county were pricing locals out of the area.
Two months later a Notice of Motion was put forward by Labour councillors to increase the second home council tax premium to 100 per cent this financial year but that wasn’t adopted.
There are currently 3,641 homes subject to the second homes council tax premium of 50 per cent – which is to be spent on housing and the Enhancing Pembrokeshire grants scheme – and raising it to 100 per cent would generate an additional £2.3million, according to the council.
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Well done Sir Benfro. Maybe 150% next ?
Hopefully this goes through, and other local authorities follow suit!
Well done Sir Benfro
Something has to be done. Those Welsh communities are dying a slow death, locals priced out.
And it’s not anti-English as stated by the hypocrite Welsh Tories in the past when Gwynedd discussed increasing council tax on second homes, who cynically said nothing when Cornwall & Cumbria did similar.
Exactly. There are English regions crying out for a clamp down on second homes, too.
Well done, Sir Benfro.
Of course it’s not anti English. I mean there’s also plenty of Welsh people who own second homes in Wales.
Yes, something has to be done to increase the housing available to local people. However this is a “fine” not a tax. Council tax is to pay for services provide by the Council. Clearly making some pay double for services they do not use is an absurd position. Of course in consultation people who do not have to pay will say it is ok for others to pay. Councils take because they a) have few other things they can do b) it plays to the crowd. It is about time the Councils and the Welsh Government took action to increase… Read more »
Council tax is not simply to pay for services, if it were it would be many times the current levy. Wales actually has a Labour led social housing programme whilst Tory England is still selling social housing off. Not only which but both Wales and Scotland have housing quality programmes for social housing while England does not.
What on earth persuaded you to move during lockdown and end up owning two homes? If you are rich enough to own two homes you pay twice, seems simple enough to me.
Ardderchog Sir Benfro. Conwy – take note too please!
Stop people in wales having second homes 🏠 take all second homes of incomers and give them to young welsh people who can’t get on the housing market because of incomers it’s time for a new wales 🏴 stop being little Englanders and be proud to be welsh start fighting for your children and grandchildren future in wales 🏴
Whenever there is an article about Sir Benfro they always show that pretty picture of Tenby harbour. Why not show a picture of Monkton (near Pembroke) or the Mount Estate (in Milford Haven), that might put the second homers off moving here.
Clyw, clyw! A picture of Dinas Head from Garn Fawr, for example. Particularly as Cllr.Bob Kilmister – the proposer – represents this ward, where I live. Good councillor. I am surrounded by second homes. Admittedly many owned by people from S.Wales, or London Welsh with a family connection with Dinas. But we really need something better than the tourist economy here, and elsewhere in Wales.
This is unfair on so many levels, people with second homes are supporting the local community through economic growth.
But when there is limited housing for younger generations because of the demand, and 2nd homes are often used for a very limited time of the year creating seasonal income… Not steady all year round. Not to mention seasonal jobs.
Is that you Mr Crabbe ?
The idea that second homes support the local economy is a complete myth. The only growth they encourage is the growth in house prices in areas that can’t afford a housing boom thus pricing the local population out of the housing market. I’ve yet to hear anyone explain how that helps the local economy.
I had my say but it was removed- why.