POLITICIANS have been urged to do all they can to help alleviate the “crazy situation” of traders in Porthmadog facing massive business rates rises from April.

In a controversial decision, business owners in the county will see their tax rates change from April 2017 onwards, after the Valuation Office Agency carried out a review of the rateable value of all businesses in Wales.

People running businesses in Porthmadog believe they are being charged more in business rates than nearby towns, such as Caernarfon and Pwllheli, and are upset that those properties with a rateable value of over £12,000 are not able to benefit from the Small Business Rate Relief scheme.

Cllr Jason Humphreys contacted the Cambrian News in December to bring this issue to the fore and his fight continues in 2017.

“Since we raised the issue in the Cambrian News, I’ve had several discussions with a Valuations Agency Office staff member and have agreed to work with the Town Centre Partnership in doing whatever we can,” he said.

“I’m told that the valuations are based on rental data collected from shops in 2015 and that the proposed increases in business rates actually reflect increases in rents by Porthmadog’s landlords."

A VOA spokesperson said: “Rateable values are based on an open market rental value on a fixed date - for this revaluation it’s 1 April 2015."

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