PEOPLE who own a second home in Pembrokeshire will be charged a 200 per cent council tax premium.

Pembrokeshire County Council members voted that a 200 per cent premium on council tax will be introduced for second home owners on top of the standard 100 per cent council tax charge at a meeting before Christmas.

The county has the second highest number of second homes in Wales.

There will also be changes to the council tax premium on long-term empty properties.

Cllr Huw Murphy made an amendment to the empty-property council tax premiums and it will see the a premium of 100 per cent applied to properties that have been empty for 24 months or more, a 200 per cent premium for properties that have been empty for 36 months or more and a premium of 300 per cent for properties that have been empty for 48 months or more.

Cllr Alec Cormack, the council’s cabinet member for finance, said: “In my speech to council I highlighted the unprecedented level of homelessness being experienced in Pembrokeshire with a heavy reliance on the use of temporary accommodation.

“The county’s need for housing has never been greater. We must increase the availability of homes, and affordable homes, to rent or buy in Pembrokeshire and council tax premiums are part of the tools to work towards those aims.

“The aim is to bring long term empty properties back into use to provide safe, secure and affordable homes and also support us to increase the supply of affordable housing and so enhance the sustainability of local communities.”

The council tax premiums will be introduced – for both second homes and long-term empty properties – on April 1, 2024.