Oystermouth councillor calls for extension to business rates holiday in Wales

A local councillor has called for an extension to the business rates holiday in Wales.

Cllr Myles Langstone, the Welsh Conservative Senedd Candidate for Gower, has said that he sees the measure as vital to helping the local economy recover.

"This has been an incredibly tough year and the last thing Welsh businesses need at the start of the recovery is a huge hike in their operating costs," Cllr Langstone said.

"I'm really pleased that an extra £655m in funding has been received from the UK Government and there must be no time wasted in ensuring that this is used to protect local jobs and businesses.

"This should be used to extend the businesses rates holiday for as many businesses as possible – whilst our high streets and local businesses recover.

"We've already seen this commitment in other parts of the UK, Labour ministers have no excuses. The money is there sitting in Cardiff Bay coffers and they just need to some show leadership and allocate it to hard-pressed businesses so we can save Welsh jobs."

Other parts of the UK, including Scotland, have announced an extension to the business rates holiday for a further 12 months for the retail, hospitality, leisure and aviation sectors.

The business rates holiday in England and Wales is currently due to end on March 31.

From April 1 businesses will liable for business rates payments which were suspended for most of the last year.

"After a tough year, the last thing local businesses need at the start of the recovery is a hike in operating costs," Cllr Langstone added in a Facebook post.

"That's why the Welsh Government must use the extra £665m in funding it's just received from the UK Government to provide a business rates holiday to help save Welsh jobs. Hopefully, a positive announcement on this will come forward soon," he wrote.