Part of 1. Questions to the Minister for Finance and Local Government – in the Senedd at 2:01 pm on 13 October 2021.
Minister, if we want to improve the economic situation of the people of South Wales West, we need to tackle the high and unfair levels of council tax in local authorities and get to grips with the increased problem of council tax arrears. Neath Port Talbot council is setting regularly one of the highest levels of council tax in Wales. Residents can't understand why it costs so much more to live in Neath Port Talbot council and why they provide services that are so much more expensive as compared to nearby councils. I asked the First Minister in July whether the Government intended to hold an inquiry into higher taxation councils, with the aim of ensuring more consistent levels across Wales, but unfortunately I didn't receive a response to that question. So, could the Minister respond to that question today? And, of course, council tax arrears have increased significantly during the pandemic, with 55,000 homes now in arrears with their council tax between January and May. So, I'd also like to ask whether the Government has any intention of announcing new plans to tackle the increased problem of council tax arrears, because this is impacting low-income families in my region. Thank you.