RESIDENTS in Carmarthenshire are able to have their say on how council tax is calculated for long-term empty properties and second homes.

Carmarthenshire County Council has launched a consultation for residents to have their say on the review of the Council Tax Premium Scheme for long-term empty properties and second homes.

There have been concerns at a local and national level about the number of second homes and empty properties in the communities and the impact this has.

Approximately 1,300 properties in Carmarthenshire are classed as long-term empty properties and around 860 homes are registered as second homes.

This means 2.5 per cent of all domestic properties in Carmarthenshire are potentially liable for the premium charge.

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The council is working to increase the provision of affordable housing and proposes a Council Tax Provision on the properties with the aim of bringing the largely empty properties back into use, providing safe, secure and affordable home to enhance the sustainability of local communities.

It is up to the local authorities as to the charge and variation of council tax premium they can charge up to 300 per cent above the standard rate of council tax on certain classes of second homes and long-term empty properties.

Carmarthenshire County Council currently doesn’t apply a premium scheme, and the consultation is looking for residents’ views on whether this should change. 11 of Wales’ local authorities currently do employ this premium scheme, with the rates varying from 25 per cent to 100 per cent.

Cllr Alun Lenny, cabinet member for resources at Carmarthenshire County Council, said: “We want to make our communities a fairer place to live for our residents and particularly our young people. In order to achieve this, we need to provide more affordable houses within our communities to keep our young people living and working in Carmarthenshire and this is why we are proposing to introduce a Council Tax Premium on long-term empty properties and second homes in our county.”

The consultation can be filled out at https://www.carmarthenshire.gov.wales/home/council-democracy/consultation-performance/current-consultations/council-tax-premium-on-second-homes-and-empty-properties/ or by visiting a council customer service hub in Llanelli, Carmarthen or Ammanford town centre. The consultation closes at 5pm on Friday, February 17.