We previously reported that Wales is using powers to require 300% council tax on holiday lets. Now, in a move likely to be highly popular, Mebyon Kernow demands the same powers. Dick Cole, Leader of MK in Cornwall Council, says that the move would raise an additional £15m for the Council and make those shifting from all-year rentals to AirBnB think twice.
Linda Taylor, Conservative Council Leader said she agreed and that second homes that are empty for most of the year are threatening the viability of communities, and she pointed to the closing of the loophole that allows second home owners to claim their property is council tax exempt as evidence of action.
But Andrew George, previously MP for St Ives said the announcement on closing the loophole was just ‘empty face-saving spin’. He said, “While they’ve repeatedly made extravagant statements that they’ll close the loophole, nothing has actually happened, except that they’ve doled-out multi-million Covid aid to them [holiday let businesses].”
So, whether triple-council tax for second homes will happen here in Cornwall remains to be seen.
Andrew Climo
Andrew Climo is a Cornish Democracy researcher, historian, analyst, community facilitator and Higher Education consultant.