Janet Finch-Saunders, Member of the Welsh Parliament for Aberconwy, has called on the Welsh Government to provide business rate relief for businesses in Aberconwy struggling to make ends meet due to recent increases in running costs.
Whilst the Member acknowledges that around half of the non-domestic rates tax-base in Wales is benefitting from full relief in 2022/23, she would like to see the Minister for Finance and Local Government, Rebecca Evans MS, go further in helping businesses this winter.
Commenting after receiving the Minister’s response, Janet said:
“Through the Energy Bill Relief Scheme, the UK Government is providing a discount on wholesale gas and electricity prices for all non-domestic customers.
“We also need to see the Welsh Government use the levers at its disposal to back businesses in Aberconwy.
“Considerable assistance could be provided through reducing the burden of business rates, which have long contributed to profitability challenges”.
ENDS
Notes:
Written Question by Janet Finch-Saunders MS/AS:
Will the Minister consider introducing a business rate holiday for all businesses that can prove that they are struggling to make ends meet due to recent increases in running costs?
Response by Rebecca Evans, Minister for Finance and Local Government:
The Welsh Government is already providing £116m of targeted non‑domestic rates support to businesses in the retail, leisure and hospitality sectors for the duration of 2022-23. This is in addition to our existing £240m package of permanent rates reliefs which provide ongoing support for businesses across Wales. As a consequence of our relief schemes, over 85,000 properties in Wales receive support with their bills and more than half of the non-domestic rates tax-base is benefitting from full relief in 2022‑23. These reliefs are fully funded by the Welsh Government.
In 2021-22 and 2022-23, the Welsh Government also took the decision to freeze the non-domestic rates multiplier. This prevented increases in rates bills for ratepayers with a residual liability, after the application of any reliefs, and has provided continued support to all businesses during these challenging times.
We have a duty to ensure stability in the funding of public services, services from which we all benefit, where the pressures of heightened inflation are also being felt. All the non-domestic rates revenue raised in Wales is provided to local government to support the delivery of vital local services.
Mae Janet Finch-Saunders, Aelod o’r Senedd dros Aberconwy, wedi galw ar Lywodraeth Cymru i ddarparu rhyddhad ardrethi busnes ar gyfer busnesau yn Aberconwy sy’n cael anhawster cadw dau ben llinyn ynghyd yn sgil y cynnydd diweddar mewn costau byw.
Er bod yr Aelod yn cydnabod bod oddeutu hanner sail dreth yr ardrethi annomestig yng Nghymru wedi elwa ar ryddhad llawn yn 2022/23, hoffai weld y Gweinidog Cyllid a Llywodraeth Leol, Rebecca Evans AS, yn gwneud mwy i helpu busnesau’r gaeaf hwn.
Gan roi ei sylwadau ar ôl derbyn ymateb y Gweinidog, dywedodd Janet:
“Trwy’r Cynllun Rhyddhad ar Filiau Ynni, mae Llywodraeth y DU yn cynnig disgownt ar brisiau cyfanwerthu nwy a thrydan i bob cwsmer annomestig.
“Rydym hefyd angen i Lywodraeth Cymru ddefnyddio’r ysgogiadau sydd ar gael i gefnogi busnesau yn Aberconwy.
“Gellid darparu cymorth sylweddol drwy ysgafnhau baich ardrethi busnes, sydd wedi cyfrannu at heriau proffidioldeb ers tro.”
DIWEDD
Nodiadau:
Cwestiwn Ysgrifenedig gan Janet Finch-Saunders AS
A wnaiff y Gweinidog ystyried cyflwyno gwyliau ardrethi busnes i bob busnes a all brofi eu bod yn cael trafferth cadw dau ben llinyn ynghyd oherwydd y cynnydd diweddar mewn costau rhedeg?
Ymateb gan Rebecca Evans, y Gweinidog Cyllid a Llywodraeth Leol:
Mae Llywodraeth Cymru eisoes yn darparu £116 m miliwn o gymorth ardrethi annomestig wedi’i dargedu i fusnesau yn y sectorau manwerthu, hamdden a lletygarwch ar gyfer 2022-23. Mae hyn ar ben ein pecyn presennol o £240 miliwn o ryddhad ardrethi parhaol sy’n cynnig cymorth parhaus i fusnesau ledled Cymru. Yn sgil ein cynlluniau rhyddhad, mae dros 85,000 eiddo yng Nghymru yn derbyn cymorth gyda’u biliau ac mae mwy na hanner y sail ardrethi annomestig yn elwa ar ryddhad llawn yn 2022-22. Mae’r rhain y cael eu cyllido’n llawn gan Lywodraeth Cymru.
Yn 2021-22 2022-23, penderfynodd Llywodraeth Cymru rewi’r lluosydd ardrethi annomestig. Roedd hyn yn atal cynnydd mewn biliau trethi ar gyfer trethdalwyr gydag atebolrwydd gweddilliol, ar ôl cymhwyso unrhyw ryddhad, ac mae wedi darparu cymorth parhaus i bob busnes yn ystod yr amser anodd hwn.
Mae gennym ddyletswydd i sicrhau sefydlogrwydd wrth gyllido gwasanaethau cyhoeddus, gwasanaethau y byddai pawb yn elwa arnynt, lle mae pwysau chwyddiant cynyddol hefyd yn cael ei deimlo. Darperir yr holl refeniw ardrethi annomestig a godir yng Nghymru i lywodraeth leol i gefnogi darpariaeth gwasanaethau lleol hanfodol.
