VAB24 Bear Holiday Homes  

Senedd Cymru | Welsh Parliament

Y Pwyllgor Cyllid | Finance Committee

Bil Llety Ymwelwyr (Cofrestr ac Ardoll) Etc. (Cymru) | Visitor Accommodation (Register and Levy) Etc. (Wales) Bill

Ymateb gan Tai Gwyliau Bear | Evidence from Bear Holiday Homes

General principles

1. What are your views on the general principles of the Bill and the need for legislation to deliver the Welsh Government’s stated policy objective, which is to:

§    ensure a more even share of costs to fund local services and infrastructure that benefit visitors between resident populations and visitors;

§    provide local authorities with the ability to generate additional revenue that can be invested back into local services and infrastructure to support tourism;

§    support the Welsh Government’s ambitions for sustainable tourism?

(We would be grateful if you could keep your answer to around 500 words).

While I completely support the need to harness the second holiday home damaging local infrastructure I am worried that with a tourism tax it will stop tourists from considering coming to Ceredigion. It’s a block.. I would urge you to consider a more open approach to tourism as it is tourism that provides an income for many people in the hospitality/reatail/food industry. We are all fully aware that councils need to raise finance due to the economic situation but to through the baby out with the bath water would be more than a mistake. I believe Pembrokeshire are listening and to local businesses and reducing the penalty of second homes while I believe Ceredigion are putting it up. I/we would be grateful around greater transparency around your decisions to make it harder rather than than easier to provide a great service to holidaymakers. There is a deep history around second homes and I would urge you to be clear and transparent about any decisions made for our local economy.

The Bill’s implementation

The Regulatory Impact Assessment is set out in Part 2 of the Explanatory Memorandum (https://senedd.wales/media/g5ipwvwh/pri-ld16812-em-e.pdf). This includes the Welsh Government’s assessments of the financial and other impacts of the Bill and its implementation.

2. Are there any potential barriers to the implementation of the Bill’s provisions? If so, what are they, and are they adequately taken into account in the Bill and accompanying Explanatory Memorandum and Regulatory Impact Assessment?

(We would be grateful if you could keep your answer to around 500 words).

Community response to your decisions. People are already changing their behaviour and creating long term let’s which is probably what we intended however it’s important to keep and respect a tourism industry while this process prevails. Keeping people on side of your decisions with greater transparency and respect.

3. Are any unintended consequences likely to arise from the Bill?

(We would be grateful if you could keep your answer to around 500 words).

Yes.. a fall in tourism in Ceredigion

4. What are your views on the Welsh Government’s assessment of the financial and other impacts of the Bill?

(We would be grateful if you could keep your answer to around 500 words).

While the government needs to address the recent trend of second homes not just in wales but Cornwall becoming a prime example for the extremism that comes from the business of holiday homes and communities being destroyed it is imperative that those in the tourism industry here in Wales are included and valued in this shift. At present the consultation feels very exclusive.

Subordinate legislation

The powers to make subordinate legislation are set out in Part 1: Chapter 5 of the Explanatory Memorandum (https://senedd.wales/media/g5ipwvwh/pri-ld16812-em-e.pdf).

The Welsh Government has also set out its statement of policy intent for subordinate legislation (https://business.senedd.wales/documents/s155951/Statement%20of%20Policy%20Intent.pdf).

5. What are your views on the balance between the information contained on the face of the Bill and what is left to subordinate legislation? Are the powers for Welsh Ministers to make subordinate legislation appropriate?

(We would be grateful if you could keep your answer to around 500 words).

It is imoortant that a broad understanding is undertaken to appreciate that the tourism industry is a huge and verified income for Wales. It’s very important that old values are discarded and a new set of values are introduced publicly and openly.

Other considerations

6. Do you have any views on matters related to the quality of the legislation?

(We would be grateful if you could keep your answer to around 500 words).

7. On 26 November, the Cabinet Secretary wrote to the Finance Committee with some indicative additional registration and enforcement provisions (https://business.senedd.wales/documents/s155952/Letter%20from%20the%20Cabinet%20Secretary%20for%20Finance%20and%20Welsh%20Language%20Indicative%20Stage%202%20amendments%20that%20.pdf) he intends to bring forward at Stage 2 of the legislative process (https://senedd.wales/NAfW%20Documents/Assembly%20Business%20section%20documents/Guide%20to%20the%20Legislative%20Process/Guide_to_the_Legislative_Process-eng.pdf).

Do you have any views on the indicative additional registration and enforcement provisions the Welsh Government intends to bring forward at Stage 2?

(We would be grateful if you could keep your answer to around 500 words).

Just to make sure that the long term outcome has been thoroughly travelled and that public opinion is deeply considered.

8. Are there any other issues that you would like to raise about the Bill, the accompanying Explanatory Memorandum and Regulatory Impact Assessment, or any related matters?

(We would be grateful if you could keep your answer to around 500 words).

Issues of barriers to touristd wanting to come to wales are prevalent. As long as government has thoroughly thought through ( with advice from countries with good experience of tourism)  so Wales doesn’t slump instead thrives in a heathy and open aired thriving tourism industry.