Two policy recommendations put to Falmouth Town Council on Monday have been supported by members while it was recognised that they had already been tried before the last election.

Former mayor and returning councillor Roger Bonney had put forward the proposals, one that members ask Cornwall Council for information on preventing holiday let businesses from using refuse collections paid by council tax, and another seeking to make student landlords pay council tax on their tenants behalf.

In a note circulated to councillors, he provided supporting information, stating for the first recommendation that Cornwall Council does not hold records of businesses that pay for commercial waste disposal, but that some holiday lets put rubbish out for domestic, and asking: "Why should the people of Falmouth subsidise people making a profit?"

Councillor Candy Atherton said: "We have done this in the previous council. I don't oppose it whatsoever," and added that council tax should be paid on HMOs and students.

However Councillor Steve Eva said he understood the concern but asked how it would be policed. He said: "People going picking up rubbish haven't got time to say 'that bag of rubbish yes, that no.'

"If there's bags of rubbish along the pavement I would rather see it picked up."

Councillors voted to write to Cornwall Council asking about its arrangements for holiday let wast collection, and expressing the their own views on the situation.

For the second proposal, Mr Bonney noted that there were 754 properties in Falmouth claiming tax exemption due to student occupancy, totalling more than £801,000 in lost revenue, with a further 191 people claiming a 25 per cent discount as full time students costing another £50,000.

He wrote: "At present landlords seem to take the money and pay nothing. This is not fair on local residents, why should they subsidise it?"

Trish Minson, the deputy mayor, said: "Can I say we did this as well , we did this in our last year of the previous council.

"We wrote and got the reply that the government won't be doing anything about this because the costs would only be passed back down to the students."

However councillor Alan Jewell said recent reports suggested the government were reviewing student rent policy, and there could well be a "base rate" paid for council tax.

And councillor Brod Ross said the issue was "back under review" and is "being seriously looked at as of today." He added: "It may change."

The council voted to support Mr Bonney's motion to write to Penryn Town Council and make a joint effort to persuade Cornwall Council to attempt to make student landlords pay council tax.

Councillor Candy Atherton added; "I propose we write to our MP and ask that she get her finger out."