Covid-19 Business Payment Confusion Cyngor Gwynedd Council.
The recent opinion article, dated 7th May, 2019 by Dafydd Meurig, Deputy Leader of Cyngor Gwynedd Council in Nation.Cymru is highly critical of Welsh Government's performance during the Covid19 crisis. https://nation.cymru/opinion/a-shambolic-welsh-government-have-offered-no-leadership-for-local-government-in-this-crisis/ Gwynedd Council's deputy leader writes that delivery of the original testing regime was 'farcical' and involved sending 15 names of symptomatic employees to Data Cymru who then send the names to Public Health Wales who would then send the names to BCUHB (in this case) for them to arrange testing with each individual. These tests were then 'to be driven to Cardiff for analysis'. Public Health Wales would then send the results to Data Cymru to send the results to the Local Authority to inform the person of the result. Farcical indeed if true. Mr Meurig goes on to complain about second home owners and says that £18 million from Welsh Government would have found their way into 'the pockets of some second home owners, who live outside the area'. Adding - 'Cynically some of these second home owners have flipped their property over to the Business Rate system in order to avoid paying any Council Tax at all'. 'The drawn-out discussions and delay has resulted in thousands of genuine holiday businesses having to wait weeks for their payment'. But two weeks previous on the 24th April, the Leader of Cyngor Gwynedd Council, Dyfrig Siencyn is quoted in the North Wales Chronicle. “We are pleased that the minister has listened to us and changed the business guidelines available to support small rural businesses in Gwynedd and other counties across Wales,” said Cllr Siencyn. The government’s new guidance states that three specific clauses need to be adhered to: Self-catering accommodation produce two years of trading accounts to 31 March 2019 Self-catering accommodation must let the property for 140 days or more in the financial year 2019-20 Self-catering accommodation business must be the primary source of income for the owner (minimum threshold is 50%). He adds - “Whilst we did not agree with the exact wording of the changes to the guidelines, we’re confident that the changes will mean that no second home owner will be able to claim this grant money without presenting evidence that the majority of their income derives from the property. Why was the Deputy Leader not informed of the successful change to the guidelines before publishing his article two weeks later. Has the confusion amongst Members led to any delay in payments to local businesses ? How many payments have been released so far ? For the full article copy and paste the address into your browser - https://www.northwaleschronicle.co.uk/news/18403296.welsh-government-shuts-second-home-grants-loophole/ Dafydd Meurig, is also Cabinet Member with responsibility for Gwynedd Council's Adult SS.
