Part of the debate – in the Senedd at 6:15 pm on 16 October 2019.
The losses to local government are clearly very substantial. There is a survey that I wish to refer to relating to a survey of seven councils in Wales, which have seen losses, estimating that we are, on average, looking at band D properties—losses of £5 million in council tax in one year. On Anglesey, one of the areas where there is the highest number of second homes, it's £1 million. Now, bear in mind that £1 million accounts to 2.5 per cent on council tax in an area such as Anglesey. There is a loophole, and I very much hope that the Minister will reconsider the denials that we have heard from her, and the previous First Minister, that there isn't an issue that needs to be tackled.
What we need to see, and what I hope to hear from the Minister now, is that the Government is going to accept that there is an issue that needs to be resolved here, and whatever model we use, whether we increase the threshold, or we turn to the model described by Mike Hedges, or what we're proposing, and what was outlined by Siân Gwenllian, then the Government does have to show its intent in tackling this, because it's our communities that are suffering, and our young people particularly who are being forced out of those communities.