I AM writing in response to the letter I received from Pembrokeshire County Council dated August 11 regarding the council’s decision in March 2016 to increase council tax for second home owners in the county.

I have watched the video of the meeting at which the decision to increase the tax to 150% was agreed and am concerned that this decision is ill-thought-out and detrimental to the future vitality of the county.

At the meeting it was stated that second home owners had been contacted and asked for their response to the proposal.

We have received no such communication, the first contact about the decision being the letter I received dated August 11.

It would seem that there was a very short time for the council employees concerned to put together a balanced and considered proposal due to the need to finalise the decision at the March council meeting if you were to impose the charge the following year.

Consequently the full implications of the policy have not been considered. We do not accept that second home owners do not contribute significantly to the economy.

The view expressed in the debate that they arrive in their 4x4s with Waitrose bags of food and spend nothing locally is far from the truth.

My husband and I have owned a property in Pembrokeshire since 2003 and have happily paid 100% council tax as we feel this is contributing to the overall running of the county’s facilities and services.

Since 2003 we have spent on average four months each year spread over the full year living in the house and have employed builders, decorators, window cleaners, gardeners plumbers and electricians.

We regularly use the local shops and restaurants all of which helps to support the local economy.

Our home, along with six others had been created by restoring derelict farm buildings.

You only have to look around to see plenty of other derelict buildings but no local effort is being made to use these to create affordable homes for local residents.

Tourism, which includes second home owners, brings many people to Pembrokeshire each year and to attack this sector of the economy rather than focus on expansion of other businesses would seem to be a retrograde step.

The problem is not the occupation of second homes, it is the lack of suitable work for local people. Punishing second homers who do bring work to the area seems a strange approach and one which is likely to have a negative impact on employment opportunities.

We do hope Pembrokeshire Council will reconsider their decision.

LINDA AND JOHN CLOWES

Address submitted by email