Plans to raise council tax on Yorkshire Dales second homes ‘killed off’

A proposal to increase council tax on second homes in the Yorkshire Dales has been “killed off”, the National Park Authority’s chairman has said.

Members of Richmondshire District Council voted 13-12 against joining other local authorities within the national park and speaking to the Government about the idea, which was part of plans to retain young families in the area.

It had been suggested that council tax should be increased as much as five-fold, but that will not happen now the largest authority within the park has turned it down.

Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority chairman Carl Lis said: “It would be remiss of me not to make clear to the public that the proposition to talk to Government has in effect been killed off.

“In my view, the decision has let down local communities by stopping the conversation before it had properly started.

“Richmondshire District Council has rejected the view that too many second homes can have an adverse impact on the viability of local communities.

“I think many people living in the National Park will be staggered by those conclusions.”

But the Dales Homeowners Action Group said it was “a triumph for common sense” and the uncertainty had damaged the local economy.

A spokesman said: “House sales have been stalled and there’s been a human cost with some people seeing their life’s work put at risk.”