Second home owners face council tax rises

The district councils are increasing the money raised in this way by reducing the discount for second home owners from 50% to 10%.

This is expected to raise a total of �10m over five years across Devon and Cornwall, where there are more than 23,500 second homes.

Cornwall County Council is pressing the six district councils to accept 75% of the extra cash to build desperately-needed affordable new homes, with the remainder going into county coffers.

Leader John Lobb said the recommendation was a " fair and equitable agreement".

Minister meeting

But Kerrier and Caradon district councils believe all the extra revenue should go to the district councils, to help provide more affordable housing.

Meanwhile, Truro and St Austell MP Matthew Taylor is to meet Housing Minister Keith Hill soon to discuss how to provide more affordable housing in the county.

He said: "We have very low wages, but we have very nearly the highest house prices outside London.

"We need to make the case for the district councils, which are the housing authorities, but they have no cash to build houses."

He said there was a "serious crisis" in rural areas.

"People cannot get about by public transport, so they need housing in the communities where they work.

"But we are seeing coastal villages turn into ghost towns as more houses become holiday homes.

"That will mean no children for the local school, no one to work in the local post office or hotel and so we shall see the total destruction of the community itself."