Sam Rowlands, Member of the Welsh Parliament for North Wales, is calling on his constituents to take part in a consultation on council tax premiums in Flintshire.
Mr Rowlands is urging people to have their say on the future on the scheme for long term and empty properties and second homes.
He said:
I think it is important that local people are given the opportunity to express their views on policies which affect them.
Your responses will help shape the future of the Council Tax Premium Scheme and determine the levels to be charged.
If you want to have your say on this issue then it is important to take part in the review which is now running until July.
Flintshire County Council is undertaking a public consultation from April 15 to July 8 to provide all members of the public and interested parties the opportunity to have their say on the future of the Council Tax Premium Scheme.
Local authorities in Wales have discretionary powers to charge, or vary, a council tax premium of up to 300% above the standard rate of council tax on certain classes of second homes and long-term empty properties. Flintshire County Council introduced a premium scheme in 2017 and currently charges a council tax premium level of 75% on long-term empty properties and 100% on second homes.
The premium is currently charged on properties that are not in use as someone`s sole or main residence due to either being: a long-term empty property which is defined as one that has been empty and has had no resident for over 12 months; or a second home which is defined as a dwelling that is substantially furnished and occupied only periodically, for example a holiday home.
Not every property that falls into the categories above pays a premium and the scheme provides limited exceptions (some time-limited and some indefinite) where the premium would not apply. The exceptions include properties being marketed for sale or let, annexes, and seasonal properties where year round occupation is prohibited.
The latest analysis of properties shows a total of 786 properties are currently subject to the premium charge, consisting of 616 long term empty properties and 170 second homes. This equates to 1.1% of all domestic properties in Flintshire being liable for the premium charge. You can view how many properties are liable for the premium in the 34 Town and Community Council areas across Flintshire here.
When considering whether or not to amend the premium levels, the discretion given to local authorities to charge a premium is intended to be a tool to help local authorities to: bring long-term empty homes back into use to provide safe, secure and affordable homes; and Increase the supply of affordable housing and enhance the sustainability of local communities.
Currently 17 local authorities in Wales, including Flintshire apply a premium scheme with the level of premium set by each authority varying from 50% to 300%. The Council is now consulting with the public as part of the process of reviewing if the premium level should be changed in the future. We are committed to giving you the opportunity to have your say.
The responses you provide are completely anonymous and the on-line questionnaire should only take a few minutes of your time to complete. The consultation is open for a twelve week period and close at 5pm on July 8 2024.
Click Here to Complete the Consultation
Sam Rowlands AS yn annog trigolion i ddweud eu dweud
Mae Sam Rowlands AS yn galw ar ei etholwyr i gymryd rhan mewn ymgynghoriad ar bremiymau treth gyngor yn Sir y Fflint.
Mae Mr Rowlands yn annog pobl i ddweud eu dweud am ddyfodol y cynllun ar gyfer eiddo hirdymor, eiddo gwag ac ail gartrefi.
Meddai:
Dwi'n meddwl ei bod hi'n bwysig bod pobl leol yn cael cyfle i fynegi eu barn ar bolisïau sy'n effeithio arnyn nhw.
Bydd eich ymatebion yn helpu i lunio dyfodol Cynllun Premiymau y Dreth Gyngor a phenderfynu ar y lefelau sydd i'w codi.
Os ydych chi am ddweud eich dweud ar y mater hwn, yna mae'n bwysig cymryd rhan yn yr adolygiad sy'n para tan fis Gorffennaf.
Mae Cyngor Sir y Fflint yn cynnal ymgynghoriad cyhoeddus rhwng 15 Ebrill ac 8 Gorffennaf i roi cyfle i bob aelod o'r cyhoedd a phartïon sydd â diddordeb ddweud eu dweud ar ddyfodol Cynllun Premiymau'r Dreth Gyngor.
Mae gan awdurdodau lleol yng Nghymru bwerau dewisol i godi premiwm treth gyngor o hyd at 300% yn uwch na chyfradd safonol y dreth gyngor ar ddosbarthiadau penodol o ail gartrefi ac eiddo gwag hirdymor. Cyflwynodd Cyngor Sir y Fflint gynllun premiwm yn 2017 ac ar hyn o bryd mae'n codi lefel premiwm treth gyngor o 75% ar eiddo gwag hirdymor a 100% ar ail gartrefi.
Ar hyn o bryd codir y premiwm ar eiddo nad yw’n cael ei ddefnyddio fel unig breswylfa neu brif breswylfa rhywun oherwydd ei fod naill ai’n: eiddo gwag hirdymor sy'n cael ei ddiffinio fel un sydd wedi bod yn wag a heb breswylydd am dros 12 mis; neu ail gartref sy'n cael ei ddiffinio fel annedd sydd wedi'i ddodrefnu'n sylweddol a'i feddiannu o bryd i'w gilydd yn unig, er enghraifft cartref gwyliau.
Nid yw pob eiddo sy'n perthyn i'r categorïau uchod yn talu premiwm ac mae'r cynllun yn darparu eithriadau cyfyngedig (rhai â therfyn amser a rhai amhenodol) lle na fyddai'r premiwm yn berthnasol. Mae'r eithriadau yn cynnwys eiddo sy'n cael eu marchnata i'w gwerthu neu eu gosod, rhandai ac eiddo tymhorol lle gwaherddir meddiannaeth gydol y flwyddyn.
Mae'r dadansoddiad diweddaraf o eiddo'n dangos bod cyfanswm o 786 eiddo yn destun ffi premiwm ar hyn o bryd, sy'n cynnwys 616 o eiddo gwag hirdymor a 170 o ail gartrefi. Mae hyn yn cyfateb i 1.1% o'r holl eiddo domestig yn Sir y Fflint sy'n atebol am y tâl premiwm. Gallwch weld faint o eiddo sy'n destun premiwm yn y 34 ardal Cyngor Tref a Chymuned ar draws Sir y Fflint yma.
Wrth ystyried a ddylid diwygio'r lefelau premiwm ai peidio, bwriedir i'r disgresiwn a roddir i awdurdodau lleol godi premiwm fod yn offeryn er mwyn helpu awdurdodau lleol i: ddod â chartrefi gwag hirdymor yn ôl i ddefnydd er mwyn darparu cartrefi saff, sicr a fforddiadwy; a chynyddu'r cyflenwad o dai fforddiadwy a gwella cynaliadwyedd cymunedau lleol.
Ar hyn o bryd mae 17 awdurdod lleol yng Nghymru, gan gynnwys Sir y Fflint yn cymhwyso cynllun premiwm gyda lefel y premiwm a bennir gan bob awdurdod yn amrywio o 50% i 300%. Nawr, mae'r Cyngor yn ymgynghori â'r cyhoedd fel rhan o'r broses o adolygu a ddylid newid lefel y premiwm yn y dyfodol. Rydyn ni wedi ymrwymo i roi'r cyfle i chi ddweud eich dweud.
Mae'r ymatebion a roddwch yn gwbl ddienw a dim ond ychydig funudau ddylai gymryd i chi lenwi'r holiadur ar-lein. Mae'r ymgynghoriad ar agor am ddeuddeg wythnos ac yn cau ar 8 Gorffennaf 2024 am 5pm.
