COUNCILLORS in Argyll and Bute have backed proposals to increase council tax on second homes in a bid to tackle the area's housing crisis.

The local authority is now set to make use of new Scottish Government powers to implement a double council tax charge for second properties from Monday, April 1, 2024.

The council aim to use this increase to encourage second home owners in the area to either sell or rent their properties.

Councillor Robin Currie, the local authority's leader, said: “With the number of second homes on the rise in Argyll and Bute, this proposed change to council tax could have a significant impact on the housing emergency in our communities by encouraging owners of second homes to consider either selling or renting out their properties.

“A joint working group on council tax and local government funding is currently reviewing all the feedback from the Scottish Government’s consultation and assessing the potential implications, but our view is that this move would be a major factor in helping to tackle the area’s housing crisis.”

The number of second homes in Argyll and Bute has increased from 3,045 in 2022/23 to 3,235 in 2023/24 and a review of self-catering units in Non-Domestic Rates (NDR) is expected to increase these numbers in the coming year.

There are also around 1,300 long-term empty properties in Argyll and Bute.

In Wales, local authorities have had the power to increase council tax on second homes by up to 300 per cent since April 2023.