Cllr Cefin Campbell: “Labour opposition to Council Tax reform is both baffling and shameful”

In the last week, Plaid Cymru has announced a national policy regarding the reformation of Council Tax should they win the Senedd election in May 2021. In a First Minister’s Questions session, Adam Price, Leader of Plaid Cymru and MS for Carmarthen East and Dinefwr, committed to making council tax fairer and more progressive.

Citing a report published by the Institute for Fiscal Studies, Mr Price set out a proposal that would ensure 20% of the households on the lowest incomes would see savings of at least £200 a year. Additionally, he noted they would increase the number of bands at the higher end of household evaluations, and ensure that council tax would become more proportional to the value of properties. 

This policy has received some heated criticism from Cllr Rob James, Leader of the Labour Group for Carmarthenshire County Council. Mr James claimed that Properties under Band I would see a rise of £4,200 a year, whilst also claiming that many in the higher bands may have purchased that property years ago and not have the income to currently meet the increase in taxation.

In response to the criticism, Plaid Cymru South West and Mid Wales Regional Candidate, and Carmarthenshire Executive Board Member for Rural Affairs, Cefin Campbell, said:

“Having read Mr James’ comments on the national policy we announced last week, I must say I find his opinion completely baffling. 

Firstly, it is worth reminding Mr James that were it not for consistent campaigning on the part of Plaid Cymru, the safety net of a Council Tax Reduction System likely would not exist here in Wales. Plaid Cymru are also completely on the record in wanting to protect farmers from any major changes, recognising that they are in a very different circumstance to those owning properties of the same value in towns. We would make sure any change in policy reflected this commitment. Our track record with the agricultural community speaks for himself, as opposed to the track record of his party, who just this week have issued a crippling blow to farmers across Wales by implementing a regressive policy on Nitrate Vulnerable Zones.

For Mr James to think that he personally has a better grasp on Council Tax reform than the Institute for Fiscal Studies is interesting to say the least. For a Labour candidate in Wales to be publicly placing the interests of those who own properties of a value of £424,001 pounds, above those individuals who are likely to be struggling in the current pandemic, is shameful. 

To be clear, there are 30 households in the constituency (Carmarthen East) that fall under Band I, compared to the 16,000 households in Bands A-C who would be most likely to benefit from this change in policy. For the whole of Carmarthenshire, he would be placing the interests of 70 households, above the needs of over 50,000. It would seem that “For the many, not the few”, can truly be consigned to the scrap heap of party slogans past for Labour here in Carmarthenshire. 

It is sad to see what was once a progressive party in this area, now turning its back on the interests of tens of thousands of people who need a little help to make ends meet, and who deserve a fairer system of Council Tax. The Labour Party of Jim Griffiths is well and truly dead here in Carmarthenshire, and I must assume Mr James’ colleagues must have their heads in their hands as their leader publicly defends the bills of the 70 richest households in the constituency. 

It is apparent to me, as it is to anyone who read Mr James’ comments this week, that he has, true to form, put the interests of the people he wishes to represent to one side, in favour of political point scoring once again. In doing so, he has betrayed the core beliefs of his party, and betrayed those in our society who most need change – change only Plaid Cymru can deliver. “