Madam,

In spite of boasts in the Cambrian News (15 September) that Gwynedd Council believes it is amongst the best performing councils in the country and has improved services to its residents, it now appears that a meeting of the council will take place shortly to consider raising or doubling rates payable by second home owners, effective 1 April 2018.

This would follow on from decisions already taken in Pembrokeshire and Anglesey to raise these taxes by 50 per cent and 25 per cent respectively, effective 1 April 2017.

These powers were authorised by the Welsh Assembly, leaving each council to determine whether to make increases or not.

Whilst homeowners normally pay rates to cover the costs of necessary services, the Welsh Local Government Association justifies these extra increases as a ‘much-needed and practical way of using the local taxation system to ensure second homes make a fair contribution to the provision of local services and affordable homes’.

The use of the word ‘fair’ is inappropriate and in the views of many second homeowners should read ‘discriminatory’ and ’punitive’ and thus comes close to infringing natural and human rights.

Many of the councillors at Gwynedd are opposed to this idea, recognising that second home owners and their friends bring, believe it or not, a boost to their local communities. It is a region which relies heavily on tourism and any extra burden, coming on top of additional stamp duty, will hurt local businesses, estate agents, restaurants, builders, boat yards, steam railway volunteers etc.

Many on the council are of the firm opinion that Wales really needs more jobs not more housing, and this can be achieved in part by increasing the number of visitors.Most estate agents are terrified about the increases. The whole area is full of unsold houses which admittedly price-wise are beyond and never will be within the reach of young families. But young families don’t want to live in many of these holiday resorts because there are no jobs and in many cases no schools. The doubling of council taxes will achieve nothing to increase the number of jobs, it is more likely to reduce them.

Indeed it is probable that should this happen, many owners will turn their homes into holiday let businesses and thus avoid paying basic rates let alone the increased amounts.

The council would do well to look into the position of caravan owners. They may not live there permanently but may, with their friends, occupy their caravans during the period when their site is open on more days in the year than people with second homes.

These caravan owners use services and require rubbish to be collected etc.

Consider also the growing trend of people owning luxury chalet-style homes on exclusive sites where they can live permanently. These owners do not currently even pay the basic rate, enjoying the advantage of paying much-reduced rates under a special scheme.

The problem at Gwynedd appears to be with the Plaid Cymru ruling group. Other councillors who may represent the majority opinion will be overruled by this inner cabinet. Is this democracy? Is this what the Welsh Assembly really wants to happen? Does the Assembly believe that the best interest of the Welsh people can be served by giving unlimited powers to those who just want to look inwards and ignore for their own narrow political ambitions what is best for the country?

Yours etc,

Bob Longworth, Bowdon, Cheshire (with a second home in Aberdyfi).

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