Sam Rowlands, Member of the Welsh Parliament for North Wales, has urged Welsh Government to reconsider the 182-day threshold for holiday lets.
Speaking in the Senedd, Mr Rowlands, Shadow Minister for Local Government and Chair of the Senedd’s Cross-Party Group on Tourism said he was extremely concerned for the future of self catering accommodation across Wales.
He said:
I was honoured to sponsor the Wales Tourism Week event last week, and I was certainly grateful for your attendance Deputy Minister. But, as you heard, there were clear concerns from attendees as to some of the worries that are facing the sector, and, indeed, the 182-day threshold for holiday lets is one of their significant concerns.
The Wales Tourism Alliance have estimated that as a result of this policy, up to 84% of holiday lets in Wales will be forced to close, which is a shocking statistic.
The Minister, perhaps, doesn't appreciate that the actions being taken by this Government are forcing these companies to close. When you consider that the tourism industry in Wales is responsible for around one in seven jobs, this is a serious cause for concern.
What also seems to be overlooked in this is not just a financial impact, but we heard last week from the industry about the mental health impact on individuals who run these businesses as well. So, in light of these genuine concerns, Deputy Minister, and with such limited exemptions that have been included in this so far, is there anything that would make you reconsider these proposals.
The Minister said nobody was forcing a business to close and a business that is not operating for more than 182 days a year, has to pay council tax, like the rest of us.
Mr Rowlands added:
I am appalled at the lack of understanding from Welsh Government on this issue, which is unacceptable. The co-operation agreement with Plaid Cymru is going to cause many businesses to close and yet nobody is prepared to listen.
Tourism is one of the major employers in North Wales and I find it very worrying that businesses will be forced to close because they can’t afford to pay their taxes. If we have less accommodation to offer then tourists will go elsewhere and not spend their money in Wales.
Sam Rowlands AS yn galw am ailfeddwl y meini prawf ar osod llety hunanarlwyo
Mae Sam Rowlands, Aelod o'r Senedd dros Ogledd Cymru, wedi annog Llywodraeth Cymru i ailystyried y trothwy 182 diwrnod ar gyfer gosod llety gwyliau.
Wrth siarad yn y Senedd, dywedodd Mr Rowlands, Gweinidog yr Wrthblaid dros Lywodraeth Leol a Chadeirydd Grŵp Trawsbleidiol y Senedd ar Dwristiaeth, ei fod yn hynod bryderus am ddyfodol llety hunanarlwyo o Fôn i Fynwy.
Dywedodd:
Roedd yn anrhydedd i mi noddi digwyddiad Wythnos Twristiaeth Cymru yr wythnos diwethaf, ac roeddwn i'n sicr yn ddiolchgar am eich presenoldeb, Ddirprwy Weinidog. Ond, fel y clywsoch chi, roedd gan fynychwyr bryderon clir am rai o'r problemau sy'n wynebu'r sector, ac, yn wir, un o'u pryderon sylweddol yw'r trothwy 182 diwrnod ar gyfer llety gwyliau.
Mae Cynghrair Twristiaeth Cymru wedi amcangyfrif y bydd hyd at 84% o lety gwyliau yng Nghymru yn cael eu gorfodi i gau yn sgil y polisi hwn, sy'n ystadegyn brawychus.
Nid yw'r Gweinidog, efallai, yn gwerthfawrogi bod y camau sy'n cael eu cymryd gan y Llywodraeth hon yn gorfodi'r cwmnïau hyn i gau. Pan ystyriwch fod y diwydiant twristiaeth yng Nghymru yn gyfrifol am oddeutu un o bob saith swydd, mae hyn yn destun pryder difrifol.
Yn ogystal â'r effaith ariannol, clywsom gan y diwydiant am yr effaith ar iechyd meddwl unigolion sy'n rhedeg y busnesau hyn hefyd. Felly, yng ngoleuni'r pryderon gwirioneddol hyn, Ddirprwy Weinidog, a gyda'r eithriadau cyfyngedig sydd wedi'u cynnwys hyd yn hyn, a oes unrhyw beth a fyddai'n gwneud i chi ailystyried y cynigion hyn?
Dywedodd y Gweinidog nad oedd neb yn gorfodi busnes i gau a bod yn rhaid i fusnes nad yw'n gweithredu am fwy na 182 diwrnod y flwyddyn, dalu'r dreth gyngor, fel y gweddill ohonom.
Ychwanegodd Mr Rowlands:
Dwi wedi f'arswydo gan ddiffyg dealltwriaeth Llywodraeth Cymru ynghylch y mater hwn, sy'n annerbyniol. Mae'r cytundeb cydweithio gyda Phlaid Cymru yn mynd i achosi i nifer o fusnesau gau ac eto does neb yn barod i wrando.
Twristiaeth yn un o brif gyflogwyr y Gogledd ac rwy'n poeni'n fawr y bydd busnesau'n gorfod cau am na allan nhw fforddio talu eu trethi. Os oes gennym lai o lety i'w gynnig yna bydd twristiaid yn mynd i rywle arall a ddim yn gwario eu harian yng Nghymru.
