Andrew RT Davies has called on the Vale of Glamorgan Council to hold a local referendum on their plans to increase council tax by 6.9%.
In England, county councils and other major local authorities are required to hold a local referendum if they wish to increase local rates by more than 4.99%. If residents vote against the rise, the council must set a new rate that does not breach the referendum threshold. The referendum threshold is not in place in Wales, but the Welsh Conservatives have been making the case for its implementation in Wales since early 2024.
If the planned 6.9% increase goes ahead, the average band D council tax in the Vale of Glamorgan will have increased by as much as 34% since 2020/21.
Andrew RT Davies MS, Senedd Member for South Wales Central and former Leader of the Welsh Conservatives, said:
“There is a real democratic deficit when it comes to council tax in Wales.
“Town halls don’t have to put huge council tax increases to a vote of local communities, even though these tax hikes are putting huge pressure on household budgets.
“The Vale Council should put their budget to a vote of Vale residents.”
ENDS