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I SPOKE in a debate in Parliament recently called by the Labour Party to discuss council tax rises.
This was nothing more than a political stunt on the part of a political party which has run Wales for 22 years and where people have seen two decades of council tax rises with further rises planned for the new financial year.
On average, council tax in Labour-run
Wales has risen 30% faster than in England. As a result, council tax in Wales has trebled from around £495 a year in 1998 to
£1,667 in the year to 2021.
In Bridgend, under a Labour-controlled council and a Labour-controlled devolved administration, we have seen increase after increase. Last year, it rose 4.5% and householders are likely to see an increase of 3.9% in the new financial year.
This equates to the average Bridgend ratepayer paying £320 a year more than they did five years ago.This approach to council tax is one where the people of Bridgend are treated as cash cows while services are being cut.
It is hitting hardworking families during what is a very difficultperiod.
The UK Conservative Government has supported councils in England with a package worth more than £30bn helping local authorities keep council tax rises lower than in Wales.
TheWelsh Labour Government should match the ambition of the UK Government and support their councils to keep bills down. Instead, they are sitting on £655m of Covid support money allocated to Wales from the UK
Government to help families and businesses during this pandemic.
The people of Bridgend and the people of Wales deserve better from Labour instead of year after year of council tax rises.
BUSINESSES have given the thumbs up to a Digital Christmas Festival.
The event – organised by Bridgend County Borough Council –was designed to support local businesses by providing a chance to showcase products online while enabling shoppers to browse at their leisure.
A total of 127 businesses took part, with 70 completing a postevent survey.
Of these, three quarters rated it as excellent or good, while half said the initiative had brought in new customers.