POLICY AND RESOURCES COMMITTEE

 

23 JANUARY 2019

 

ITEM 154 – COUNCIL TAX EMPTY PROPERTY PREMIUM

 

Mr McGinnes introduced a policy requiring that owners of properties that were empty and substantially unfurnished paid additional Council Tax premiums. The current policy added a premium of 50% to those properties that had been empty and unfurnished for 2 or more years. The proposed policy added an escalating premium onto properties the longer they remained empty, with a maximum additional premium of 300% additional Council Tax of those that had remained empty for 5 years or more. Mr McGinnes confirmed that the phrase ‘substantially unfurnished’ was present in Council Tax legislation, and therefore there was no discretion for this to be changed by the Council.

 

RESOLVED: That Council is recommended to implement the revised Council Tax premium for the financial years beginning 1 April 2019, 1 April 2020 and 1 April 2021.

 

Voting:        For - 12                 Against - 1            Abstentions – 0