VAB48 Elan Oaks Camping and Caravan Site  

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 Maes Gwersylla a Charafanau Elan Oaks | Evidence from Elan Oaks Camping and Caravan Site  

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).

Addressing each of the above points in brief:

* 'ensure a more even share of costs to fund local services and infrastructure that benefit visitors between resident populations and visitors'?

Our other business (a small local retail establishment) pays rates which already fund local services and infrastructure to support residents, my family and I pay Council Tax fund local services and infrastructure to support residents, we pay privately at huge cost, for waste/recycling collections from the campsite. We, as Powys residents, are  funding local services and infrastructure to support residents- all we ask is for Powys to help us to encourage visitors to Wales, helping us to make a living through providing a service to encourage visitors.

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

Powys does not seem to be interested in supporting tourism...only in discouraging visitors by taking away the tourist attractions (Bwlch Nant yr Arian as an example) that we use to encourage visitors.

* 'support the Welsh Government’s ambitions for sustainable tourism'?

I suspect this will simply be another example of money going into a large Powys pot. never to be seen again. We need to encourage and keep tourists coming to Wales, not invent a new way of actively discouraging them. We are involved in a constant battle to attract tourists away from the holiday hotspots of Devon and Cornwall. Placing a levy on visitors to Wales will seriously undermine these efforts. Unless your ambition for 'Sustainable Tourism' is to have significantly less tourists, the levy will not make tourism in Wales sustainable...it will kill it.

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).

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).

Other than tourists staying away from Wales???

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).

Ultimately it will discourage tourism which can't be a good way to make it sustainable. In the current economic climate, we need to find ways to encourage tourists- not introduce a levy that will drive them to other areas of the British Isles.

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).

All information regarding the Bill should be apparent, subordinate legislation is an area open to abuse and creates distrust.

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).

see previous answers

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).

My previous answers cover my views.

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).

The Bill is simply another example of the ineptness of the Welsh Government and the blatant disregard for hardworking Welsh people, trying to make a living through tourism.