A TAX premium on second homes across the county will continue, and a tax on houses left empty and unoccupied for more than three years will be introduced Pembrokeshire councillors have decided.

A premium on the county’s 3,933 second homes was introduced last year, and owners will continue to pay 150% council tax in the 2017-18 financial year councillors decided on October 19.

Councillors also voted to introduce a new tax premium on houses which have been unoccupied and unfurnished, which would grow year on year.

A charge will be introduced which means houses left empty for more than three years after April 2016 will pay 125% council tax, those for more than four years will pay 150% council tax, and those for more than five years will pay 200% council tax.

It is predicted there are 1,200 properties which have been left empty long term in Pembrokeshire.

Cllr Bob Kilmister, cabinet member for finance, stressed that the new empty property premium was not about making money for the council, and was likely to be revenue neutral.

"This is about bringing housing back into use not about this council gaining extra money from it," he said, but added if revenue was made it would be added to the affordable housing fund.

Councillor Phil Baker expressed reservations about the affect the new empty property tax plans would have on those with a portfolio of houses.

“It might end up that someone with a portfolio of houses could end up with a huge bill while trying to get them back onto the market,” said Cllr Baker, who suggested that an appeals process needed to be added to the scheme.

Cllr Kilmister said three years was enough time to bring a house up to market condition.

“If somebody is managing a portfolio I think three years is a reasonable amount of time. If you think of us as a housing authority it doesn’t take three years to do that.”

Cllr Kilmister nevertheless proposed an amendment for an appeals process, which was voted in as part of the scheme.

Concerns were also raised about making sure second home owners understood how the premium on their houses was being spent.

Cllr Ken Rowlands said work needed to be done to show second home-owners who had to pay the premium what benefits the extra money they paid would bring to the county.

The revenue from the premium on second homes is split between affordable houses and local services, with most of it invested back into the communities with the largest amount of second homes.

“Currently the county has not done that well at delivering affordable homes, but clearly this is another tool in the box financially,” said Cllr John Davies.

Cllr Davies added he was concerned about how the money would be distributed to benefit all of Pembrokeshire as well as communities with a large amount of affordable homes.