The cabinet — the panel of Green and Labour councillors in charge of major service areas — agreed to move forward with the double rate in February 2025.
But having obtained legal advice, the council has concluded “there is no clear evidence that cabinet considered” factors laid out by the government in November 2024 when it was in the middle of pulling together its policy.
These factors state councils should look at the volume of long-term empty homes in their area, circumstances that may preclude certain homes being used as main residences, and the potential impacts on the local economy and local services before utilising the new powers.
It was also pointed out the double rate had not been voted on by full council.
All of that led the council’s monitoring officer Graham Leach — its most senior legal official — to the view “the council did not meet all its obligations”.