WEEKEND cottage owners in the Yorkshire Dales this weekend came a step closer to losing their 50% cut in local council tax.

Second homeowners pay only half of their full-time resident neighbours' bills, a fact which has caused friction for many years as it means that locals have to make up the difference in paying for local services.

It has also been claimed that this also pushes up the price of cottages beyond the reach of less well-off locals, in particular young couples looking for their first homes.

At the weekend, the Countryside Agency issued a statement saying that Local Government Minister Nick Raynford is about to open talks with local councils on the subject - and the Government has already hinted that it would like to scrap the system and ask weekenders to pay the full rate.

Commenting on the proposed negotiations, Countryside Agency chief executive Richard Wakeford commented: "There is an acute shortage of affordable housing in much of the English countryside. The high incidence of second homes can undermine the potential to create and maintain vibrant local communities.

"For some time, the Countryside Agency has been calling for a change so that all houses are charged at the same level. Today's announcement brings that a step closer."