Talking business with the FSB in Llandudno

Gareth Jones and I had the great pleasure of meeting Susan Morris, Chair of Conwy County FSB to discuss some good news on business rates which the FSB and others have widely welcomed.

The vast majority of businesses in Llandudno’s Mostyn Street are paying less in business rates from April following actions taken by the Welsh Government.

Approximately two-thirds of the two hundred-plus rateable properties in the main shopping street were already due to pay less from April after the Welsh Government raised the thresholds for qualifying for the rate relief scheme and decreased the multiplier from 48.9 pence in the pound to 40.9p.

And another reduction announced by the Welsh Government takes effect in October 2010 and will mean even more businesses paying less for the twelve months after, as a consequence of extra money in last week’s Budget to keep business rates down in England. .

The news was welcomed by local AM for Aberconwy, Gareth Jones who has been pressing the Government in Cardiff for action to do whatever it can to reduce the effects of the revaluation on smaller businesses. He said:

“I’m no great fan of business rates - it’s a regressive tax introduced by the Conservative Government in London in 1990 which unfortunately takes very little account of the success of the business or its ability to pay.

“But applying the recent changes to the thresholds and the multiplier to the draft valuations from the VOA suggests that about 139 or roughly two-thirds of the 205 rateable properties in Mostyn Street will pay less from this week.

“Even better, the Welsh Government's announcement means that from October, just over 170 businesses, some 84%, will be paying even less and thirty of them will pay nothing at all.

“Some critics have cited figures showing an average 15% rise in rateable values in Llandudno’s Mostyn Street as evidence of an increasing burden on all businesses. Clearly that’s not true and I very much welcome the fact that Plaid in Government is doing what it can to help protect smaller businesses from this unfair Conservative tax.”

A five-year revaluation of rateable values took effect from April 1st and most businesses will see those rise after the Westminster Government’s Valuation Office Agency reassessed every business based on its market rent in April 2008.

The changes are supposed to reflect rises in market rents since the last revaluation five years ago and are intended to be neutral overall with the businesses paying more balanced by those paying less.

The revaluation cannot be postponed by the Welsh Government as it’s a legal requirement under the system of national non-domestic rates introduced by the Conservative UK Government in 1990.

About half of small businesses in Wales will pay no business rates for the year from 1 October 2010 and roughly 20% more will see their business rates significantly reduced.

Mr Jones added:

“While most businesses across Wales stand to gain, I am of course aware that a minority of businesses will have to pay a more as a consequence of the revaluation. They can however appeal to the Valuation Office Agency if they can prove the rise is unjustified.”

Phil Edwards, Plaid’s Westminster candidate for Aberconwy added:

“I believe a much fairer system could be devised if the whole issue of taxing businesses was overhauled by the Westminster Government or if the Welsh Government was to get the power to do it itself. Plaid would scrap business rates and replace it with amuch fairer system.”

Aberconwy is not for sale

As the Conservatives gather for their party conference in Llandudno we've challenged David Cameron to come clean over which candidates' campaigns have directly benefited from the funds of their dodgy non-dom donor Lord Ashcroft.

We urge the Tories to be honest with voters - tell us where Lord Ashcroft’s millions have been targeted. Unless they do, the Conservatives actions are likely to further damage public confidence in Westminster politics.

My colleague, Plaid’s Westminster leader Elfyn Llwyd MP and the SNP’s Westminster leader Angus Robertson MP have written to Tory party leader David Cameron calling for answers and a breakdown of where and how much money has been poured into campaigns.

Here's what Elfyn has had to say:

The Conservatives have to come clean on which Tory candidates are being bankrolled by Ashcroft’s millions. As they meet in Llandudno, I think the people of the Aberconwy constituency deserve to know how this man’s personal fortune is being used by the Tories in an attempt to buy their votes.

Aberconwy is not for sale. Voters deserve the truth, attempting to buy them is down right insulting.

Mr Cameron should put his money where his mouth is. Will he practise what he preaches on transparency in politics?

Ashcroft does not play by UK rules but is still using the millions of pounds at his disposal to try and buy this election for the Conservatives.

My guess is that many Conservative candidates in Wales and elsewhere are benefiting both directly and indirectly from Lord Ashcroft’s millions – either through it being pumped into constituencies or through campaigns at their central office in London.

While this man won’t pay taxes here, he’s perfectly happy to try to dictate how ours would be spent.

Welsh voters will not accept being played like this. I just hope that people will make a stand and send a clear message that we want people representing us who will stand up for our communities – rather than the candidates who has the biggest cheque-book.

Angus Robertson MP added:

Bankrolled and run by London, Tory candidates cannot claim to speak up for local interests. Only the SNP will champion Scottish communities.

The text of the letter to David Cameron reads:

It has now been confirmed that Lord Ashcroft broke an undertaking to pay full UK tax in order to become a member of the House of Lords ten years ago.

Since then, he has donated more than £5 million to the Conservative Party, much of which has been spent in target seats throughout the United Kingdom.

Given the public interest in this matter and your repeated calls for disclosure and transparency in politics, could you please confirm how much money from Lord Ashcroft’s donations have been used to fund constituency campaigns in Scotland and Wales and in which seats?

Royal British Legion Llandudno - Plaid launches ‘Support for Veterans’ - Plaid yn lansio ‘Cefnogaeth i Gyn-Filwyr’

Elfyn Llwyd MP and Phil Edwards launched Plaid's new policy paper on supporting veterans this week in the Royal British Legion, Llandudno.
 
The paper highlights several key areas for reform in the penal system and the need for a separate strategic review of expenditure spent on personnel leaving the forces.

As the UK Government looks to undertake a defence spending review, Plaid will be urging the Westminster government to address this particular area of forces and veteran welfare.

Following on from the spiralling cost of military procurement and the government’s inability to keep within its budget, especially over the war in Afghanistan, Plaid is campaigning for priority to be given to veteran welfare.

Plaid Cymru’s Westminster leader Elfyn Llwyd MP first highlighted this issue seven years ago and has pressed the Prime Minister many times on the matter.

Mr Llwyd launched the document at the Royal British Legion in Llandudno.

Elfyn Llwyd MP said:

“This work is part of Plaid’s ongoing commitment to supporting troops and veterans that are currently being let down by the UK Government.

“If the government is going to send our brave troops to illegal and immoral wars they must remember that they still have a duty of care towards them or they break the Military Covenant.

“Large numbers of soldiers are coming back from war zones (more than ever before), and on leaving the forces, it is increasingly apparent that the government is doing little to support them.

“Last year figures showed there were twice as many veterans in prison than British troops are in Afghanistan.

“Initiatives need to be put in place to target the social isolation experienced by many veterans - something which would doubtlessly lessen the numbers entering into custody or probation in the first place.

“We’re advocating several measures such as a more thorough ‘debriefing’ procedure pre-discharge from the forces and which would include psychological assessments plus drug and alcohol tests. Intervention at an early stage could help many veterans before they come into contact with the criminal justice system.

“A post-discharge support programme should be designed to combat the various strains of social estrangement experienced by many veterans. Basic initiatives such as tenancy support services and advice on debt management should be as integral to a support programme as physical and mental health checks.

“What is missing on a national level is a holistic support service and also a system of identification of veterans coming into contact with the criminal justice system.

“There are many more options that need to be considered and this is very much an ongoing project.

“Reform of the current penal system, as well as the way criminal proceedings are dealt with within the military, is desperately needed to ensure our veterans do not end up in this vicious circle.”

Copies of the policy document are available on request.

.......

Mae Elfyn Llwyd AS a Phil Edwards wedi lansio papur polisi newydd Plaid ar gefnogaeth i gyn-filwyr yn y Royal British Legion yn Llandudno.

Mae’r papur yn tynnu sylw at sawl adran allweddol o fewn y system cosbol lle mae angen diwygiad. Y mae’n gofyn am arolwg strategol ar wahan o wariant ar filwyr sy’n gadael y lluoedd.

Wrth i’r llywodraeth Prydeinig cynllunio i ymgymryd ag arolwg ar wariant amddiffyn, bydd Plaid yn galw ar lywodraeth San Steffan i gyfarch yr adran arbenning hwn o les cyn-filwyr.

Yn dilyn adroddiadau o gostau cynyddol caffaeliad milwrol, ac analluedd y llywodraeth i gadw o fewn ei gyllideb ar Afghanistan, mae Plaid Cymru yn ymgyrchu er mwyn i les cyn-filwyr cymryd blaenoriaeth.

Gwnaeth arweinydd Plaid Cymru yn San Steffan, Elfyn Llwyd AS, dynnu sylw at yr achos hwn yn gyntaf saith mlynedd yn ol, ac y mae wedi gofyn cwestiynau uniongyrchol i’r Prif Weinidog ar y mater sawl tro. Lansiwyd y ddogfen gan Mr Llwyd yn y Royal British Legion, Llandudno.

Dywedodd Elfyn Llwyd MP:

“Mae’r gwaith hwn yn rhan o ymrwymiad parhaol y Blaid tuag at gefnogi milwyr a chyn-filwyr sydd ar hyn o bryd yn cael eu siomi gan y Llywodraeth Prydeinig.

“Os ydy’r llywodraeth yn mynd i ddanfon ein milwyr dewr i ryfeloedd anghyfreithiol ac anfoesol, rhaid iddynt gofio bod dal ganddynt dyletswydd o ofal tuag atynt, neu maent yn torri’r Cyfamod Milwrol.

“Mae niferoedd mawr yn dychwelyd o barthau rhyfel (mwy nag erioed o’r blaen), ac wrth iddynt adael y lluoedd, daw hi’n fwy fwy amlwg nad yw’r llywodraeth yn gwneud digon i’w cefnogi nhw.

“Llynedd, bu ffigyrau’n dangos roedd nifer y cyn-filwyr yng ngharcharau ym Mhrydain dwywaith nifer y milwyr Prydeinig yn Afghanistan.

“Mae angen menterau sy’n targedi’r ynysiad cymdeithasol sy’n brofiaf i gynifer o gyn-filwyr. Heb amheuaeth, byddai menterau o’r fath yn lleihau’r nifer o gyn-filwyr sy’n dod mewn i gysylltiad gyda’r system cyfiawnder troseddol yn y lle cyntaf.

“Ryn ni’n argymell sawl mesur, fel trefn ‘ôl-drafod’ fwy trylwyr i filwyr cyn iddynt adael y lluoedd arfog, gan gynnwys asesiadau seicolegol a phrofion cyffuriau ac alcohol. Gall ymyriad cynnar helpu mwy o gyn-filwyr cyn iddynt ddod i gysylltiad â’r system cyfiawnder troseddol.

“Dylsai rhaglen gynnal wedi gadael y lluoedd gael ei gynllunio i wrthweithio’r ynysiad cymdeithasol sy’n brofiad i ormod o gyn-filwyr. Dylsai menterau sylfaenol fel gwasanaethau cynnal tenantiaeth a chyngor ar oruchwyliaeth dyled fod mor annatod i’r rhaglen gynnal hwn ag y bydd profion iechyd meddyliol a chorfforol.

“Beth sydd ar goll ar lefel cenedlaethol yw gwasanaeth gynnal holistig, ac hefyd system o ganfod cyn-filwyr wrth iddynt ddod mewn i gysylltiad â’r system cyfiawnder troseddol.

“Mae nifer o opsiynnau eraill sydd rhaid eu hystyried gan taw cynllun sy’n mynd ymlaen yw hwn.

“Er mwyn gwneud yn siwr nad yw ein cyn-filwyr yn bennu lan yn y sefyllfa anaddawol hwn, mae angen ystyried diwygio’r system cosbol presennol, ynghyd ag ail-ystyried sut mae’r lluoedd arfog yn ymdrin â threfniadaethau cosb milwrol.”

Mae copiau o’r ddogfen polisi ar gael pan wneir cais.