Second homes: Gwynedd council tax premium rises to 150%

The population of Abersoch, in Gwynedd, jumps from 600 to 30,000 in summer

Council tax premiums on second homes in Gwynedd are to be increased from 100% to 150%.

A premium is an amount on top of council tax, so those affected will pay 250% council tax.

The new figure will come into place from next April after members voted 37 to 21 for the change.

The extra cash is set to tackle rising homelessness in the county since the pandemic. A report found the council needed another £3m to do this.

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The authority could have upped the premium to 300% thanks to new Welsh government rules, but decided not to.

But the situation will be monitored and reviewed.

An amendment to keep the premium at 100% was rejected by 36 votes to 22.

The new Welsh government rules, part of a Labour-Plaid Cymru cooperation agreement, are part of efforts to make it easier for people to afford homes where they grew up.

A homeowners' group previously called the move "morally indefensible".

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