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Angus council is considering dramatic moves to tackle the number of empty properties in the region.

Councillors meet this afternoon to discuss ditching the 10% council tax discount afforded to long-term empty housing.

But members will also be asked to consider more radical moves including a proposal to double council tax on empty properties.

The local authority has recommended that private housing could be subject to additional taxation.

This could lead to a maximum charge of between £988 and £2,965 per empty house, depending on council tax banding.

Housing legislation allows for increased taxation on properties left empty for more than a year for the purpose of “encouraging owners to bring back in to use their empty properties”.

Elected members agreed the possibility of a levy last year, pending a survey of the county’s empty homes.

Several options are open to the policy and resources committee, ranging from “no cut” for the discount to an additional 100%, with changes taking up to two years to take effect.

For a full report on what the council decides, see Wednesday’s Angus edition of The Courier.