Janet Finch-Saunders, Member of the Senedd for Bangor, Conwy and Môn, has expressed serious concerns about a statement made by the Bevan Foundation that there are “enough second homes and holiday lets in Wales to rehouse every household housed in temporary accommodation three times over”.
Janet has completely rebutted the statement by the Bevan Foundation, noting that it was based on “a ridiculous and unfounded assumption”.
Wales has been facing a housing shortage for years. Yet the blame cannot be placed on second homes and holiday lets. In November last year, the then Welsh Labour Government confirmed that it would miss its commitment to deliver 20,000 low-carbon social homes during the 2021–26 term. This was a missed opportunity to provide people in temporary accommodation with suitable and sustainable housing.
Instead of punishing second-home owners and the tourism industry, the focus should be on calling on the new Plaid Cymru Government to ensure that suitable housing is built.
While it is essential that secure housing is provided for those living in temporary accommodation, with access to proper facilities such as cooking and laundry appliances, this must not come at the expense of Wales’s vital tourism industry.
Tourism and hospitality support around 159,000 jobs across Wales, with the sector employing up to 20% of the workforce in Bangor, Conwy and Môn.
However, this sector has already been struggling as a result of damaging policies introduced by the former Welsh Labour Government and supported by Plaid Cymru, particularly the 182-day threshold for self-catering accommodation.
Janet commented:
“I have frequently raised concerns about the cost and quality of temporary accommodation, and I have expressed deep concerns about hotels and B&Bs being used to house families. This has left many people without access to essential facilities such as kitchens and adequate places to do their laundry. Providing suitable, secure homes should always be a priority.
“However, this cannot come at the expense of our tourism industry. Self-catering accommodation providers are already struggling with the 182-day threshold. I have had many residents contact me to express their concerns about being unable to reach the threshold due to circumstances outside of their control. This has resulted in many of them facing increased council tax bills and considering whether they can continue operating or whether they will be forced to sell their properties.
“We must not allow a false choice to develop between providing families with decent homes and protecting Wales’s tourism industry. We need a housing policy that tackles the shortage of suitable long-term accommodation without putting further pressure on the small businesses and property owners who support our local economies.
“The Welsh Government must get the balance right. We cannot solve one problem by creating another. Families deserve secure and suitable homes, but communities in Bangor, Conwy and Môn also deserve a thriving tourism industry, sustainable local businesses and good employment opportunities.”
ENDS
Photo: Janet Finch-Saunders MS/AS
Mae Janet Finch-Saunders, Aelod o'r Senedd dros Fangor Conwy Môn, wedi mynegi pryderon difrifol ynglŷn â datganiad gan Sefydliad Bevan bod "digon o ail gartrefi a llety gwyliau yng Nghymru i ailgartrefu pob aelwyd mewn llety dros dro dair gwaith drosodd”.
Mae Janet wedi gwrthbrofi'r datganiad gan Sefydliad Bevan yn llwyr, gan nodi ei fod yn seiliedig ar "ragdybiaeth chwerthinllyd a di-sail”.
Mae Cymru wedi wynebu prinder tai ers blynyddoedd. Ond allwn ni ddim rhoi'r bai ar ail gartrefi a llety gwyliau. Ym mis Tachwedd y llynedd, cadarnhaodd Llywodraeth Lafur Cymru ar y pryd y byddai'n methu ei hymrwymiad i ddarparu 20,000 o gartrefi cymdeithasol carbon isel yn ystod tymor 2021-26. Dyma golli cyfle i ddarparu tai addas a chynaliadwy i bobl mewn llety dros dro.
Yn hytrach na chosbi perchnogion ail gartrefi a'r diwydiant twristiaeth, dylai Llywodraeth newydd Plaid Cymru ganolbwyntio ar sicrhau bod tai addas yn cael eu hadeiladu.
Er ei bod hi'n hanfodol darparu tai diogel i'r rhai sy'n byw mewn llety dros dro, gyda mynediad at gyfleusterau priodol fel offer coginio a golchi dillad, ni ddylai hyn ddod ar draul diwydiant twristiaeth hanfodol Cymru.
Mae twristiaeth a lletygarwch yn cynnal tua 159,000 o swyddi ledled y wlad, gyda'r sector yn cyflogi hyd at 20% o'r gweithlu ym Mangor Conwy Môn.
Fodd bynnag, mae'r sector hwn eisoes mewn trybini yn sgil polisïau niweidiol a gyflwynwyd gan gyn-Lywodraeth Lafur Cymru ac a gefnogwyd gan Blaid Cymru, yn enwedig y trothwy 182 diwrnod ar gyfer llety hunanarlwyo.
Meddai Janet:
“Rwyf wedi codi pryderon rheolaidd am gost ac ansawdd llety dros dro, ac wedi mynegi cryn bryderon am ddefnyddio gwestai a llety gwely a brecwast i gartrefu teuluoedd. Mae hyn wedi gadael llawer o bobl heb fynediad at gyfleusterau hanfodol fel ceginau a lleoedd digonol i olchi dillad. Dylai darparu cartrefi addas, diogel bob amser fod yn flaenoriaeth.
“Fodd bynnag, ni all hyn ddod ar draul ein diwydiant twristiaeth. Mae darparwyr llety hunanarlwyo eisoes yn cael trafferth gyda'r trothwy 182 diwrnod. Mae llawer o breswylwyr yn cysylltu â mi i fynegi eu pryderon ynghylch methu cyrraedd y trothwy oherwydd amgylchiadau y tu allan i'w rheolaeth. Mae hyn wedi arwain at lawer ohonynt yn wynebu mwy o filiau treth gyngor ac yn ystyried a allan nhw ddal ati neu gael eu gorfodi i werthu eu heiddo.
“Rhaid i ni beidio â chaniatáu i ddewis ffug ddatblygu rhwng darparu cartrefi gweddus i deuluoedd a diogelu diwydiant twristiaeth Cymru. Mae angen polisi tai arnom sy'n mynd i'r afael â'r prinder llety hirdymor addas heb roi pwysau pellach ar y busnesau bach a'r perchnogion eiddo sy'n cefnogi ein heconomïau lleol.
“Mae'n rhaid i Lywodraeth Cymru gael y cydbwysedd cywir. Ni allwn ddatrys un broblem trwy greu un arall. Mae teuluoedd yn haeddu cartrefi diogel ac addas, ond mae cymunedau ym Mangor Conwy Môn hefyd yn haeddu diwydiant twristiaeth ffyniannus, busnesau lleol cynaliadwy a chyfleoedd cyflogaeth da.”
DIWEDD
Llun: Janet Finch-Saunders AS
