Protest planned after council’s second homes tax U-turn
Richard Evans, local democracy reporter
A protest against Conwy County Council’s decision not to raise the premium on council tax for second home owners will take place on Saturday in Conwy.
The picket line has been organised by Welsh culture campaigners Cymdeithas yr Iath who will meet at 11 am on Lancaster Square.
The protest follows Conwy’s cabinet voting to revoke an earlier decision to charge second home owners a 50% council tax premium.
Instead, second home owners will now pay a 25% premium from April 2022, as they have done for the past three years.
Business rates
Conwy feared sticking with their previous decision could see the local authority lose council tax if second home owners converted properties to holiday homes – whose business rates are instead picked up by the government.
But the decision has angered many who point to neighbouring Gwynedd charging second home owners a 100% premium to stop local people being out priced in the housing market.
Cllr Aaron Wynne says the issue affects locals in his Llanrwst constituency as well as young people across Conwy.
Cllr Wynne said: “I’m supporting the protesters in Conwy this weekend. Second homes and long-term empty properties are an issue in our communities, and Conwy has the ability to take small but positive action to alleviate their effects.
“Young people like me are finding it more and more impossible to get onto the housing ladder – or simply afford to rent – in our own communities.
“I echo the calls of the protesters – Conwy should increase the council tax premium on second homes and long-term empty properties so that young people have a fighting chance of being able to remain living and working locally.”
Conwy also decided that owners of long-term empty homes will pay a 50% premium from next April.
The cabinet also voted for the option to increase the premium to 50% on second homes from 1 April 2023 if they wish.
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Conwy council seem to care more about hurting the feelings and pockets of people who live outside of Wales rather than their own constituents needs. Are they a tory council?
Any “Independents” are generally wormtongued Tories.
The majority are Tory although a number choose not to openly reveal they are Tories by calling themselves ‘independent’.Clearly they see the needs of tourists/visitors as a higher priority to those of residents.
Yes one can only wonder why so many tories choose to disguise their true affiliation. I doubt if shame enters into it they generally have none.
If you’re councillors don’t start doing something about holiday homes it’s going to be like Spain in the winter nobody there
Stop all second homes in wales 🏴 all second homes must be Taxed at 100 percent and no more second homes in wales 🏴 we in wales have got to stop being little Englanders and be proud to be welsh start fighting for your children and grandchildren future in wales 🏴 it’s time for a new wales 🏴
Tai Cymru dros Cymry. The other night we saw on TV a Welsh couple and their baby living in a caravan whilst empty holiday homes in their village remain empty. Surely this should be the other way around. This tax loophole of classing holiday or second homes as a business should be closed for good. Clearly residential homes are exactly that, RESIDENTIAL!! If these outsiders want a holiday bolt hole in Wales then let them get a caravan. Legislation and taxation is required to stop this housing exploitation of our country. Both holiday and second homes deny the people of… Read more »
Some big election changes in Conwy ahead most local folk feel.
The members seem to move around various groups and the groups seem to move around the council in differing configurations.
Titles and ‘ leaders ‘ appear in the press but most locals know who the real “ players” are.
And while all this ego smoothing goes on – we see who is actually running the council.
No prizes for for guessing who ?