Dear Ally Tibbitt

I acknowledge receipt of your request for information relating to the
above and shall respond within the relevant 20 working day period.

Yours sincerely

Information Management Team

Scottish Borders Council

Newtown St Boswells

TD6 0SA

E mail:  [email address]

Tel: 0300 100 1800

"

show quoted sections

"

Dear Ally Tibbitt

I am writing to inform you that there will be a delay in responding to
your request for information as the department are still in the process of
collating a response. 

I hope to be in a position to respond by the end of this week.

Please accept our apologies for any inconvenience this may cause.

Yours sincerely

Kirsty Lovatt

For the

Information Management Team

Scottish Borders Council

Newtown St Boswells

TD6 0SA

E mail:  [email address]

Tel: 0300 100 1800

"

show quoted sections

"

Dear Ally Tibbitt

Further to your request for information under the Freedom of Information
(Scotland) Act 2002 relating to the above I am now able to respond.

The following response was prepared and provided on behalf of Customer &
Communities, and Regulatory Services

1. How many homes in the council area are second homes?

In terms of Council Tax legislation we currently have 937 homes who have
claimed a second home status

2. Of these, how many receive a discount to their council tax? Please
break these figures down by council ward.

Council Tax records do not record which ward each property falls within,
therefore this information is not held and therefore we give notice under
Section 17 (1) (b) of the Freedom of Information Act 2002.

The Council Tax (Variation for Unoccupied Dwellings) (Scotland) Amendment
Regulations 2016 allow Council's the discretionary power to remove the
discount awarded on second homes. Scottish Borders Council took the
decision on 21st December 2016 to remove the discount which took effect
from 1 April 2017.

Therefore there are 0 properties receiving a discount on Council Tax due
to the property being their Second Home.

3. Additionally, how many second home owners are subject to a reduced rate
of council tax discount?  Please break these figures down by council ward.

Council Tax records do not record which ward each property falls within,
therefore this information is not held and therefore we give notice under
Section 17 (1) (b) of the Freedom of Information Act 2002.

I can advise that the application of Second Home reliefs/status are
applied to the property irrespective of ownership. Therefore there are 0
‘property owners’ receiving a discount on Council Tax due to the property
being their Second Home.

As above, there are 0 properties receiving a discount on Council Tax due
to the property being their Second Home.

4. I understand that the council is required to spend any additional
income raised by reducing the rate of council tax discount on second homes
locally, or via Registered Social Landlords. How much additional income
was raised through reducing the council tax discount rate for second homes
in the last 24 months and what was this additional income spent on?

In 2016/17 we allowed a 10% discount on 2nd homes, which was an reduction
from the normal 50%.

As at 31st March 2018, the additional amount raised from 2nd homes in the
2016/17 year was £420,561.27.

The money raised from this is ring fenced and used by the Council and it’s
various partners to deliver more affordable housing in the Scottish
Borders in line with the Local Housing Strategy.

As stated above, from 1st April 2017 there has been no discount allowed on
2nd Homes.

As at 31st March 2018, the additional income raised from 2nd homes in
2017/18 was £551,716.50.

Four fifths of this income received in 2017/18 will again be ring fenced
and used to help fund the provision of affordable housing. The remaining
fifth (that raised by abolishing the 10% discount), will be included along
with the rest of the Council Tax receipts and used to pay for Council
Services.

With regards to empty homes:

5. How many homes in the council area are empty?

In terms of Council Tax legislation there are 2588 properties receiving an
exemption or relief where the property is empty

6. How many empty homes in the council area currently receive a council
tax discount? Please break this figures down by ward.

Council Tax records do not record which ward each property falls within,
therefore this information is not held and therefore we give notice under
Section 17 (1) (b) of the Freedom of Information Act 2002.

However the total of Empty Properties within the Local Authority receiving
a Council Tax discount are as follows;

Reduced Rate of Council Tax: 1780

Increased Rate of Council Tax: 808

7. Additionally, how many empty home owners are subject to a reduced rate
of council tax discount, or are subject to an increase in council tax? 
Please break these figures down by council ward.

Council Tax records do not record which ward each property falls within,
therefore this information is not held and therefore we give notice under
Section 17 (1) (b) of the Freedom of Information Act 2002.

I can advise that the application of empty property reliefs/exemptions are
applied to the property irrespective of ownership. Therefore there are 0
‘empty home owners’ receiving a reduced rate of Council Tax discount.

However, the total properties within the Local Authority receiving a
Council Tax discount are as follows;

Reduced Rate of Council Tax: 1780

Increased Rate of Council Tax: 808

8. What is the total additional income raised by the council by reducing
the rate of council tax discount on empty homes, or increasing it in the
last 24 months? What was this additional income spent on?

Since April 2016 we have charged 200% Council Tax on long term empty
properties.  This is a change from the normal 50% discount which would
otherwise be awarded, which itself had been reduced to 10% for a number of
years.

This increase in income is split up and used in different ways.  The
proportion raised from reducing the discount from 50% to 10%, is ring
fenced and used by the Council and it’s various partners to deliver more
affordable housing in the Scottish Borders in line with the Local Housing
Strategy.

The proportion raised from increasing the charge from 90% to 200% is
included along with the rest of the Council Tax receipts and used to pay
for Council Services.

For 2016/17, as at 31st March 2018-

£383,489.55 has been collected for the ring fenced (40%) element

£483,169.12 has been collected for the (90% to 200%) element

For 2017/18, as at 31st March 2018-

£327,207.98 has been collected for the ring fenced (40%) element

£611,881.28 has been collected for the (90% to 200%) element

I hope you are happy with the information provided but have to advise that
you have a right to request a review within 40 working days from the date
we respond to your request.  You should either e-mail
[1][Scottish Borders Council request email] or write to the Information Manager, Scottish
Borders Council, Council HQ, Newtown St. Boswells TD6 0SA.

If after the Council’s FOI Advice Group have considered your review and
you are still not happy with the decision you then have a right to appeal
to the Office of the Scottish Information Commissioner, Kinburn Castle,
Doubledykes Road, St. Andrews, fife KY16 9DS.

Yours sincerely

for the

Information Management Team

Scottish Borders Council

Newtown St Boswells

TD6 0SA

E mail:  [email address]

Tel: 0300 100 1800

"

show quoted sections

"

References

Visible links
1. mailto:[Scottish Borders Council request email]