Trafford Council is set to consider changes to council tax in an attempt to make around an additional £1 million a year.

At a meeting on Monday, June 20, the council's executive is set to discuss an end to discounts for unoccupied properties.

Currently, Trafford Council allows a 100 per cent discount on the council tax to the owners of unoccupied properties for up to one month, or up to 12 months if the unoccupied properties need alterations or repairs to allow people to live in them.

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The cost to the council of these discounts was around £985,000 in the 12 months up until April 2022.

However, in light of challenges to the overall budget, there are suggestions these should be scrapped.

The changes are believed to be in line with the other Greater Manchester authorities of Bolton, Manchester, Stockport and Tameside.

A report to be seen by the executive reads: "There are no central government grants covering the cost of these discretionary awards and therefore it is timely to review them, firstly, to make sure they are still appropriate and, secondly, given the context of the extremely challenging position facing the council’s overall budget."

Other discounts are offered to those on the Council Tax Support Scheme, or specific people such as care leavers or special constables.

There is no suggestion these should be scrapped alongside the discounts for unoccupied properties.

The report reads: "Given the pressures following the Covid Pandemic and now with the rising cost of living, it makes it more important in any review to minimise the impact on the most vulnerable residents.

"It is not deemed appropriate at this stage to review the Council Tax Support Scheme, or care leaver and special constable discounts."

If approved in principle by the executive, an eight-week consultation will be circulated amongst landlords, who are set to be some of those most affected by the changes, and shared online and on social media.

The results will be brought back before the executive later this year, ahead of a suggested start date for the changes of April next year.