Caerphilly Assembly candidate, Owen Meredith, has called for a ‘fairer deal’ on business rates. He has promised to work with the Council, Valuation Office Agency (VOA) and local businesses to review rates in the town centre and encourage local enterprise.
Making the pledge, he highlighted the fact that 470 businesses in Caerphilly closed their doors for the last time in 2009. He also promoted Welsh Conservative plans to scrap business rates for all businesses with a rateable value under £12,000. He confirmed that small businesses would pay no rates for the entire Assembly term.
Mr Meredith said:
“Speaking to businesses throughout Caerphilly, there is one thing that just keeps coming up – business rates. This is especially the case on our high streets.
“Businesses are suffering as their tax bills cripple their competitiveness. Far too often businesses are telling me that they have cut staff or plan to close down as their rates are unaffordable.”
“Looking at the details, there are massive inconsistencies in the valuations across similar retail units in Caerphilly town. The calculation rate appears totally illogical and needs to be looked at. In my view the rates are too high and do not reflect the reality facing retailers in Caerphilly. I have already raised this with the VOA.
“If elected I will continue to work proactively with shopkeepers, the council and the VOA to find a solution before it is too late and our high street retailers disappear.”
The Welsh Conservative candidate welcomed rate relief that has been in place from the Assembly Government, but said that the support failed to go far enough. Mr Meredith commented:
“We cannot go on like this. We have seen too many businesses close, unemployment rise and a lack of support for enterprise. In Caerphilly 21,000 working age people are out of work and we need a new approach to boost enterprise and employment.
“Key to achieving this will be supporting small businesses that are the backbone of our economy. That is why I am delighted that Welsh Conservatives will slash business rates for small businesses. Locally, as well as my plans on jobs and to boost tourism, I am pushing for review in our town centre which will provide vital support for those businesses and help them take on new staff.”
