Council Tax Discount

I note the report in last week's Bracknell Standard that the Council Tax Discount for homes empty in Bracknell is to be cut from the normal 50% discount, to 10% after the first six months. I applaud our Council for this gesture but why not go the whole way? Under the Local Government Act 2003 the Council could have decided to cut the discount to nothing. I call for this to be done next year.

An opportunity has been missed for residents to pay less council tax. It is a pity that the Labour Government has not developed the proposal that dwellings empty for a long period should attract double council tax to induce owners to vacate their property to help reduce the housing shortage.

Houses empty for many months cause major offence to the thousands of local residents who are waiting for affordable housing. Most will have been on the Council waiting list for a long time. They want to move into their own home rather than stay with in-laws or friends or pay rents they can barely afford to a private landlord without security of tenure. So, in economic terms, it's a matter of increasing the supply of affordable housing to reduce the demand.

Poorly paid key workers in particular are badly affected whether they are policemen and women, teachers, council staff, firefighters, healthworkers or other professions. They have been harmed by the sale of council housing that has been encouraged by both Conservative and Labour governments over the last 20 years.

Our population is increasing as people live longer. Some families split up due to financial pressure. Thus more homes are needed. Now our Council should do more to provide additional affordable housing, particularly on brown field sites.

David Young
The Green Party General Election candidate for Bracknell.