Welsh language campaigners place posters on Conservative offices over second homes stance

Welsh language campaigners say that they have placed posters on Welsh Conservatives’ offices in protest over their stance on second homes.

The Welsh Conservatives have laid a motion in front of the Sebedd today to annul a new rule that will extend the criteria for self-catering accommodation being liable for business rates instead of council tax from 70 to 182 days.

Cymdeithas yr Iaith Gymraeg said that the move by the Welsh Conservatives would make it harder to regulate holiday accommodation and easier for second homes owners to avoid paying tax on a second home.

They said that they had placed posters calling for a Property Act and promoting a protest for a Property Act at the Eisteddfod on Tory offices in Haverfordwest, Narberth, Llandudno and Anglesey.

Speaking on behalf of the Nid yw Cymru ar Werth (Wales Not For Sale) campaign, Osian Jones said: “Tabling this a debate in the Senedd today shows that those who have a vested interest and who benefit from the system as it is will not give up without a fight.

“We must make a stand on behalf of all those who want to find homes in their communities.

“We will continue the fight on the Eisteddfod field by holding a rally to put pressure on the Government to introduce a comprehensive Property Act.”

‘Bureaucracy’

Yesterday a Conservative Senedd Member branded Mark Drakeford and Adam Price’s plan to tackle second homes will be “a complete failure” and called on them to focus on building new homes instead.

Aberconwy Senedd Member Janet Finch-Saunders, who is the co-owner of multiple properties and a long-term critic of the Welsh Government and Plaid Cymru’s plan to further regulate holiday homes and holiday lets, said that the proposals set out by the two party leaders would not work.

On Monday the First Minister and Plaid Cymru leader announced that local authorities will be allowed to control the number of second homes in communities as part of a new crackdown.

The First Minister and Plaid Cymru leader will also allow councils to require planning permission to change a house to a holiday let or second home. They will also require holiday lets to require a license to operate.

But Janet Finch-Saunders said that the policies would fail to achieve the aim of enabling people the opportunity to afford to live in their community.

“Adam Price speaks of his which to give everyone ‘yr hawl i fyw adra’– the ability to live and work in the communities in which they grew up,” she said.

“Well, his so-called radical programme with Mark Drakeford is a complete failure.

“To put it short – this Welsh Labour and Plaid Cymru plan is not going to, as the First Minister claims, ensure everyone has the opportunity to afford to live in their local community.

“It’s not a cap on the number of second homes and holiday lets, new planning use classes, statutory licencing scheme, nor varying land transaction tax, that is going to address the housing crisis.

“They are simply more bureaucracy for the sake of providing a false façade that action is being taken to provide homes for locals.”