Elin Jones AM has welcomed a £23m extension to the Welsh Government’s high street rate relief scheme, which will now include businesses with a rateable value of up to £50,000.

By extending its current scheme in 2019-20, the Welsh Government expects to provide support of up to £2,500 towards non-domestic rates bills for around 15,000 small to medium-sized businesses and retail properties.

The extra £23.6m of support available in 2019-20 through the high street rates relief scheme to support businesses will be provided to local authorities through the revenue support grant.

Ms Jones said: "This news from the Welsh Government will hopefully ease the pressure on many locally owned high street businesses.

"I have previously called for action to help local businesses maintain a place on our high streets, and hopefully this will go some way to do that.

"The government are proposing to reduce rates bills to zero for retail properties with a rateable value up to £9,100 and reduce bills by £2,500 for properties with a higher rateable value.

“Ratepayers who will benefit from the relief include occupied retail premises such as shops, restaurants, cafés and pubs.

“This will be very welcome news for business owners all across Ceredigion.

"If you think that your business will benefit from rate relief, please contact Ceredigion County Council’s Non-Domestic Rates team."

Recent figures for last month show that retail footfall fell by 3.1 per cent in Wales in November, with the worst drop in the week of Black Friday when shopper numbers fell 4.5 per cent.

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