Issue - meetings

To consider the report of the Director Finance.

Agreed:

RECOMMENDED that Council:-

(1)   approve the application of the current premium of 100% for all dwellings which are unoccupied and substantially unfurnished (empty dwellings) from a period of one year with effect from 1st April 2024;

(2)   approve the application of a premium of 100% for all dwellings which are unoccupied but substantially furnished with effect from 1st April 2024; and

(3)   grant delegated authority to the Section 151 Officer to implement the policy in line with the Council’s requirements and any guidance given by the Secretary of State.

Reason for Decision: As set out in the report.

The Executive received the report which sought Member’s agreement to the levying of Council Tax premiums within the City, which would take affect from 1 April 2024, subject to the Levelling Up and Regeneration Bill (Bill 169 2022-23) receiving Royal Assent.

The policy was designed to encourage taxpayers to use or allow others to use premises as their main residence and enable empty properties to be brought back into use, while providing funding to the collection fund which will be shared between the Council and the major precepting authorities in line with their share of the Council Tax.

Particular reference was made to the following:-

·        The changes outlined in the report would allow the Council to charge a premium for empty properties after one year and further premiums for properties which have been empty for more than five years.

·        Although the Levelling Up and Regeneration Bill was pending Royal Assent, the Council needed to approve the recommendations before March 2023, to provide the required 12-month notice period in respect of the proposed changes.

·        It was estimated that there would be an additional £1.5 Million in income from Council Tax, of which around 8% would be received by the City Council.

Councillor D. Moore, as an opposition group leader, spoke on this item. She welcomed the proposals. She advised that she would welcome a discussion with the Leader about a proposal to potentially increase the supply of housing by retaining single person relief for those renting out rooms.

Members welcomed the report and clarification was given that owners of empty homes were contacted to bring them back into use.

The Leader advised that there was a Housing Strategy being undertaken and homes was a focus in the potential Tier 2 devolution model. He further advised that the Council Tax premiums were specific to the proposal and an additional recommendation on single person relief was a separate matter to recommendations in the report.

RECOMMENDED that Council:-

(1)   approve the application of the current premium of 100% for all dwellings which are unoccupied and substantially unfurnished (empty dwellings) from a period of one year with effect from 1st April 2024;

(2)   approve the application of a premium of 100% for all dwellings which are unoccupied but substantially furnished with effect from 1st April 2024; and

(3)   grant delegated authority to the Section 151 Officer to implement the policy in line with the Council’s requirements and any guidance given by the Secretary of State.