Burns still battling for rate relief (From Western Telegraph)

AM Angela Burns continues battle against Narberth rate rises

3:33pm Thursday 7th January 2010 in News

Warning has been sounded that Narberth’s businesses will still be hit hard by rates hikes, despite a raising of the exemption threshold by the Welsh Assembly Government.

Many businesses in the town have seen such large increases in their rateable values - an average of 160% - that they fail to qualify for the increased levels of relief, local AM Angela Burns has pointed out.

“I’m concerned that the threshold being raised to 20% is of little value to many of the Narberth traders,” said Mrs Burns, who has been leading a campaign with the traders to get the bills reduced.

She has handed the Welsh Assembly a petition signed by the town traders calling for an impact assessment to be carried out on the effect that the rates hike would have on the town.

Some traders are facing a 300 % increase in their bills, the first instalment of which has to be paid in April.

A public meeting organised in November by Mrs Burns was attended by local traders and an action team was set up to gather evidence to take to the valuation office agency which sets the rates.

“Despite presenting an excellent portfolio of evidence to prove that Narberth is being hit much harder than most towns, the VOA has said it cannot offer any overall changes, although some individual cases are being reconsidered," she said.

“The increase in the threshold will have very little effect for the town, so I am still urgently pressing for action for hotspots such as Narberth.

“I asked the Welsh Assembly Government to tell me how many properties in Wales were facing rates increases of 100% and 200% and they have said that they can’t tell me.

“I am astounded that they don’t have this sort of basic information available, I would have thought it was necessary to make the decisions now affecting the country and I am still pressing them for answers.”