Council calls on the Government to remove council tax discount on second homes
Last updated: 06/07/2011
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Cornwall Council is calling on the Government to bring in new
legislation to remove the council tax discount on second homes
which could generate an additional £1.6 million to help meet the
housing needs of local people.
The discount on second homes council tax in Cornwall was reduced
to 10% from 50% prior to the formation of Cornwall Council in 2009,
with the additional money used to fund affordable housing schemes
across Cornwall.
Proposing the Motion to ask the Government to remove the
discount, Councillor John Keeling MBE told Members at this week’s
meeting of the full Council that it was unjust to allow the second
home concessions to continue at a time of continuing recession and
a reduction in funding for frontline services.
“There are currently around 13,500 properties registered as
second homes in Cornwall and removing the 10% discount would
provide an additional £1.6m which could be used to provide homes
for local people” he said.
Members voted unanimously to support the Motion to remove the
discount and to ask the Council’s Corporate Resources Overview and
Scrutiny Committee to review the present use of the second homes
discount money and its use as a means of facilitating research,
development, implementation and aftercare of local needs
housing.
The Scrutiny Committee will also investigate the possibility of
using the money to endow a Cornish Housing Trust and seek ways of
continuing to maintain a register of second homes in Cornwall.
Removing the discount will require a change in the law and the
Council will now be writing to the Secretary for State for
Communities and Local Government asking him to introduce the new
legislation as quickly as possible.
Story posted 6 July 2011