County will go easier in chasing council tax arrears

THOSE struggling to pay their council tax bills will not be chased up for at least three months, Gwynedd Council has announced.

Legal requirements mean that annual demands have been falling through letterboxes across the county.

But prompted by concerns by one councillor that many would be struggling to pay their rates during the pandemic, the authority has confirmed that measures are in place to help those struggling to make ends meet. Cllr Sion Jones, the Labour member for Bethel, wrote to both the chief executive and leader, urging them to be mindful of those who have seen their incomes slashed overnight.

“Gwynedd residents face a huge challenge during this time, and it’s clear to me that many self-employed residents are facing an even greater challenge to pay bills,” he said.

In response Cllr Ioan Thomas, the cabinet member for finance, told the Local Democracy Reporting Service: “At present, the Council has not received any direction to change its Council Tax arrangements and therefore all those who are able to pay are expected to continue with payment. This will obviously help us to maintain vitally important services during this emergency.

“However, we are eager to support those whose circumstances have changed and we will be as flexible as possible to help these Gwynedd residents.

“We will be temporarily suspending Council Tax recovery arrangements for a three-month period in the first instance and our Council Tax staff will be as sympathetic as possible to any specific requests.”