County Council agrees 3.5% Council Tax increase

The Isle of Anglesey County Council today (Thursday, March 10th) agreed a 3.5% Council Tax increase as part of its final Budget for 2016/17. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Members of the Full Council also approved the introduction of a 25% Council Tax premium on long term empty properties and second homes. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Finance portfolio holder, Councillor Hywel Eifion Jones, said, “With Anglesey facing a 2% funding cut from Welsh Government, this has certainly been our most challenging budget to date and we’ve been forced to make significant savings – totalling £3.5m – across the board.” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

He added, “However, careful financial management has allowed us to protect frontline services and reflect public aspirations in our final Budget proposals. We’ve protected education and social services, and kept this year’s Council Tax increase as low as possible.” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Anglesey’s Council Tax will remain one of the lowest in Wales with an average Band ‘D’ bill standing at £1,061.46 – which will equate to a weekly increase of 69p compared to 2015/16 (excluding North Wales Police and Community Council precepts, which are set separately). ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Council Leader, Cllr Ieuan Williams, said, “Our main aim during this year’s Budget deliberations was continuing to protect front line services to the best of our ability and transforming other key services to ensure that they’re still delivered, albeit in a different way in the future.” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“Ensuring more savings will also remain vital in future and so we’ve set aside funding from general balances to support business transformation projects.” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Anglesey will also introduce a Council Tax premium on long-term empty properties and second homes from April 1st 2017, after receiving new powers from Welsh Government. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Current figures show that there are 784 long term empty properties on the Island with 35% empty for more than four years. There are also 2,311 second homes. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Today, councillors adopted a 25% Council Tax premium on these properties. The premium will serve as a sensible starting point to help bring long empty properties back into use and support young people onto the property ladders, whilst still protecting the Island’s tourism industry. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The County Council is planning for the possibility of further cuts of up to £10m between 2017 and 2020. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​