(Title Image: Senedd TV)
At First Minister’s Questions earlier this afternoon, Tom Giffard MS (Con, South Wales West) – who remains a sitting county councillor for Brackla – questioned the above-average council tax bills in Bridgend and Neath Port Talbot, which stand at above £1,900 at Band D.
Reform of council tax was included in Labour’s 2021 Senedd election manifesto (and the manifestos of other parties) and he asked for more details.
He also claimed that Welsh councils “generally charge more than English councils”, but this was immediately dismissed by the First Minister as “nonsense”.
Mark Drakeford went on to say the average Band D council tax bill in Wales is £167-a-year lower than the equivalent bill in England. Average rises in council tax in Wales were also lower than in England.
Getting the figures wrong in this manner, the First Minister said, didn’t help Tom Giffard’s case.
Where he did agree is that the current system is unfair. The Welsh Government will bring forward proposals to reform council tax during the current Senedd term – though that process won’t be easy and will inevitably result in winners and losers.
(Update:) Although the First Minister appeared to refer to the comparison made between England and Wales as being wrong (Welsh Band D council tax levels (link) are, on average, lower than England –pdf), Tom Giffard issued a statement saying:
“It is a fact that the average Band D Council Tax level in Bridgend is £1937 and £1996 in Neath Port Talbot; that is according to the Welsh Governments official stats which can be found here (pdf).
“He (the First Minister) also mentioned the difference in Council tax rises as compared to Monmouth Council. This was really disingenuous as Council Tax levels in Monmouth are LOWER than those in Neath Port Talbot and Bridgend at £1786 on an average Band D property.
“It is also worth looking at the settlement figures that the Welsh Government gave to these councils. NPT and BCBC saw a 4.2% and 4.3% increase respectively whereas Monmouthshire saw an increase of just 3.9%. Again, showing the political bias from Welsh Government to local councils.
“While I’m all for a spirited debate in the chamber, to state that I “got my figures wrong” is not something the public would expect of the First Minister.”
– Tom Giffard MS
