Councillors have rejected two calls to cut Pembrokeshire’s Council Tax premium for second-home owners.

Those in such properties will continue to pay a 125 per cent premium in the next financial year.

At its meeting held on Monday, October 5, members of Pembrokeshire County Council’s Cabinet backed keeping the current 125 per cent premium on second homes, which took the form of a recommendation to full council meeting on Thursday, October 15.

Pembrokeshire’s second-home council tax premium, paid on top of the ordinary council tax rate, has changed several times over the years.

The premium rose from 50 per cent back in April 2017 to 100 per cent in 2022, and then to 200 per cent in 2024, before falling to 150 per cent in 2025 and to 125 per cent in the current financial year.

County Hall Pembrokeshire
County Hall, the home of Pembrokeshire Council (Stock image)

The premium applies to all three parts of the bill: county council, police and town or community council charges.

Pembrokeshire still has one of Wales’ highest proportions of second homes, with coastal communities among the worst-affected areas.

As in previous years, the council consulted residents this summer on premium levels.

At the full council meeting, members were recommended to back keeping the 125 per cent rate in a report presented by Pembrokeshire Council’s Cabinet member for finance Cllr Jon Harvey, who said a reduction in the premium of 25 per cent would increase council financial pressures by some £1.4m.

Conservative Group leader Cllr Di Clements proposed an amendment to set the premium at 100 per cent.

Michael Williams Tenby
County councillor fro Tenby’s North ward, Cllr Michael Williams, a long-term supporter of the premium, said: “We see communities being hollowed out; we see it happening in Tenby and other communities.” (Observer pic)

Cllr Clements, who has called for cuts in previous years, said a 100 per cent premium would be “hardly a free ride” for second-home owners.

She was seconded by Cllr Mark Carter who suggested it was a “reasonable compromise” that “doesn’t say to second home-owners: ‘We’re just here to milk you dry’.”

During the lengthy debate, members heard emotive examples of hardship and premium-payers facing bills and debts in five figures, with Cllr Rhys Jordan pointing out “behind every statistic is a person, a family in some cases pushed to breaking point”.

County councillor for Tenby’s North ward, Cllr Michael Williams, a long-term supporter of the premium, said keeping it had a “moral dimension”.

“We see communities being hollowed out; we see it happening in Tenby and other communities.”

“I’m hard-line on this, I always have been. Come to my community, walk around at night in winter, the place is hollow, properties in darkness because no-one’s living there.”

Manorbier County Councillor Phil Kidney
Manorbier County Councillor Phil Kidney proposed a compromise rate of 115 per cent. (PCC)

Cllr Clements’ amendment was defeated by 28 votes to 23.

Manorbier County Councillor Phil Kidney then proposed a compromise rate of 115 per cent.

The vote was tied at 26-26, before Presiding Member Cllr Simon Hancock used his casting vote to reject the compromise.

Simon Hancock
The vote was tied at 26-26, before Presiding Member Cllr Simon Hancock used his casting vote to reject the compromise. (Stock image)

The 125 per cent rate was then approved by 29 votes to 21.

A far less contentious proposal was heard after that agenda item, members backed a recommendation to keep the current 300 per cent premium for properties left empty for two years or more.