Shadow Cabinet Secretary for Local Government, Janet Finch-Saunders AM, has spoken of her concern that the Welsh Labour Government’s controversial proposals for local authority mergers, could result in Conwy residents facing council tax bill rises of over £80.
The Member said:
“The Welsh Government’s consultation Green Paper which puts forward these ridiculous proposals for mergers states quite clearly that differences in council tax levels between authorities ‘should not be an insurmountable issue’ – yet this is far from the reality.
“Council taxpayers in Conwy could potentially face an increase of over £80 per year in their council tax bill, if the Cabinet Secretary forces through his plans to merge Conwy and Denbighshire local authorities.
“If the Welsh Labour Government consider £80 a year to not be an insurmountable amount for households, then they are very much out of touch.
“Band D householders in Conwy have already faced rises of some £1,009.66 since devolution – and £80 would be the equivalent of another 5% increase.
“Along with the majority of local authorities, I have opposed these preposterous merger proposals in the strongest possible terms, and hope that the Cabinet Secretary will see sense and abandon these uncosted and unrealistic plans.”
ENDS
Notes
Statistics on council tax increases are available here: https://statswales.gov.wales/Catalogue/Local-Government/Finance/Council-Tax/Levels/compositionofaveragebanddcounciltax-by-year