News

Council votes to cut Council Tax for second home owners

Published

6 months ago

October 17, 2024

PEMBROKESHIRE COUNTY COUNCIL has voted to reduce the Second Home Council Tax premium from 200% to 150%, following a close decision on Thursday, October 17.

The change, set to take effect from next April, comes after a Conservative motion to cut the premium in half was decisively defeated. Currently, second homeowners pay three times the standard rate, with a Band E property’s tax rising to around £7,000 annually, compared to £2,300 for local residents.

The reduction was achieved through an Independent Plus Group (IPG) amendment, which passed by a narrow margin.

SERVICE CUTS OR TAX HIKES FOR LOCALS

Whatever the reasoning behind the Conservative amendment, the debate centred on potential future Council Tax rises and deeper service cuts.

Cllr Jordan Ryan was surely correct when he said that those who supported halving the Second Homes Premium were also those most unlikely to support increasing Council Tax to make up the money lost from the Council Budget in 2025/26.

Cllr Di Clements, Conservative Group Leader, proposed halving the Premium, arguing that the current level risked harming tourism in Pembrokeshire. She said it was important to be honest about how the Council used the money the Premium raised. The original intention of the Second Home Premium was to fund affordable housing. However, it was now being used to buttress the shortfall in the Council’s Budget.

She said she had to wonder about the local authority’s financial stability if it was so dependent on the Premium.

Cllr Clement claimed the Council’s message to second-home and holiday accommodation owners is clear: “We don’t want you.”

Cllr John Cole, who supported Cllr Clement, said the Cabinet member for Finance, Cllr Joshua Beynon, had dismissed second-home owners’ representations about the Premium’s impact.

Cllr Beynon responded briskly to Cllr Cole’s suggestion. He reminded the Merlin’s Bridge councillor that part of the purpose of setting a budget was to weigh evidence and reach a conclusion. On balance, the need to reduce the size of any future Council Tax rise on local residents and preserve essential services outweighed second-home owners’ interests.

He reminded Cllr Clements that the decision to use the money raised from the Premium for general funding was made by the Full Council, not the Cabinet. Cllr Beynon said the issue would be debated during next year’s budget setting.

DIVIDING THE PIE

Cllr Mark Carter raised the issue of how the Coucil Tax Premium operated. Not only the County Council precept trebled, but also the precepts for community councils and policing. He found it hard to justify that the policing precept raised in Pembrokeshire was funding policing elsewhere.

Cllr Beynon replied that he would examine the issue raised and report back. However, he added, he could not tell Dyfed Powys Police where to spend its money.

Former Cabinet Member for Finance Cllr Alec Cormack boiled the debate down to brass tacks and asked the Director of Resources to outline the effects of supporting the Conservative motion.

Jon Haswell replied that each 25% cut to the Premium would reduce the Council’s revenue by £1.3m.

In the context of the Conservative motion, that would lead to an additional £5.2m pressure on the Council’s Budget in addition to the existing £32.8m pressure.

That meant that, even if the Council used £3m of its reserves, in addition to deeper cuts to services, the Council would need to increase Council Tax for 2025/26 by 18.87%.

Cllr Cormack observed that councillors ignored Mr Haswell’s warnings last year, and as a result, they faced even tougher choices next year.

Without making deep cuts, the Budget won’t balance, he added.

Alec Cormack said: “If we cut the Premium today, we are voting for a bigger increase in Council Tax in February.”

RESIDENTS SHOULDN’T BANKROLL SECOND-HOME OWNERS

Cllr Alistair Cameron agreed with reducing the Second Homes Premium but said the Council could not afford to do so because of grave budgetary pressures.

“We are having this difficulty because we are trying to pay for care, provide homes, and care for vulnerable children. We cannot afford to make next year’s Budget any harder than it should be.

Alan Dennison said he did not want his voters in Milford Haven to subsidise second-home owners but wanted to find a middle ground.

Cllr Beynon said that if the Conservative amendment passed, schools’ budgets would suffer a 4% cut next year.

Aled Thomas supported Di Clements. He said that suggesting that the only way to balance the Budget was to increase Council Tax was fundamentally flawed.

Cllr Thomas claimed the administration had sown a seed of division between the Pembrokeshire people, the tourism industry, and second-home owners.

He claimed councillors were being gaslit on the Council’s budgetary pressures.

Cllr Tony Wilcox said that councillors should not pander to a minority interest. His mailbox about the need to cut the Second Home Premium was zero.

He added: “Our residents aren’t affected by this. We cannot penalise our voters to pander to those who can afford a second home.”

Tenby Cllr Sam Skyrme-Blackhall said, “I cannot justify raising Council Tax on our residents to reduce second-home owners’ bills.”

Cllr Paul Miller said the impact on tourism was unknown. However, he added: “If you own properties in Tenby and Saundersfoot and you can’t let them for 182 days a year, you’re doing something wrong.”

THE CASE FOR HOUSING

Michelle Bateman said, “75% of the Premium goes to affordable housing. We must increase all kinds of affordable housing; we will not solve housing problems with social housing alone.

She added that the Council would introduce options for shared ownership and equity in spring.

“Any reduction in the Premium meant fewer people would benefit from those schemes.”

She continued: “Housing must be a priority for this Council. I cannot believe that councillors are justified deferring to a well-heeled and articulate minority ahead of those who need this funding.”

Cllrs Delme Harries and Bethan Price highlighted the lack of benefits the Premium brings to rural wards.

Cllr Mike John intervened to highlight the difference between those who inherited old family homes and contributed to local communities and those who did not, ate up the supply of affordable houses, and rented them out on Airbnb.

Josh Beynon sympathised with Cllrs Harris and Price and said services – especially social care – cost more to deliver in rural areas. However, before the pot of money was divided, the Council needed to know what was in it.

He took Aled Thomas to task. Cllr Beynon said this was not scaremongering. He and officers have tried to explain the position in budget seminars, and he would be happy to come to councillors’ wards to discuss it if they wanted. He emphasised seeking a centre ground that addressed reality.

Mike Stoddart was having none of it. He would support the Conservative motion and believed the policy was economically illiterate.

Huw Murphy sought a more radical solution. The system was overcomplicated, he said. Every residential property in Pembrokeshire should pay Council Tax, Cllr Murphy said, and there are too many properties paying nothing.

SYMPATHY FOR SECOND HOME OWNERS SECOND TO LOCALS’ NEEDS

The Cabinet Member for Housing, Michelle Bateman, responded to the debate.

Addressing Cllr Bethan Price, she said £1.4m of funding was being used to develop affordable housing at Glasfryn in St Davids.

Cllr Bateman continued by saying that her sympathy for second-home owners was outweighed by her sympathy for Pembrokeshire’s homeless and those waiting on the housing register.

Cllr Alec Cormack endorsed Michelle Bateman’s view, saying: “We should think of those with no houses, not those with two houses.

The Conservative motion fell.

COUNCIL BACKS 150% PREMIUM

The Council moved to debate Cllr Huw Murphy’s amendment to reduce the Second Home Premium to 150%

Cllr Murphy kept his remarks brief and to the point. He said he supported the idea of a premium and was keen to explore other ways the Council could use the Premium system to raise money more effectively.

Council Leader John Harvey intervened in the debate.

Cllr Harvey said it was wrong for the Council to prioritise the interests of second-home owners over those of permanent residents.

He observed that Cllr Murphy seemed to have retreated from his position last year, when he supported the 200% Premium, even though nothing had changed since last December when he supported it.

Cllr Harvey added: “We don’t have the data to change horses now, though we might next year.

“What worries me more is the loss of income.”

Jon Harvey asked councillors: “What are you prepared to cut or lose, or are you prepared to increase Council Tax to make up the gap?

“I am not prepared to say I voted to reduce second homes Council Tax and put the burden on residents.”

The IPG amended passed by 30 votes to 26 and slashed the Second Home Premium.

The next task for those who voted to shave £2.6m off the Council’s Budget will be to identify cuts or choose Council Tax increases over and above those already forecast in the Medium-Term Financial Plan.

As Cllr Jordan Ryan cynically suggested, those who voted to cut the Premium have no intention of doing either.

Community

West Wales sewage crisis: New calls for accountability amid environmental concerns

Published

2 hours ago

April 18, 2025

Tom Sinclair

THE SEWAGE pollution crisis engulfing West Wales continues to deepen, with new data and growing public pressure exposing serious environmental failures across multiple river catchments — including the River Teifi and the Cleddau.

***Ceredigion emerged as the most sewage-polluted area in England and Wales***

Teifi among UK’s most polluted rivers

According to 2024 monitoring data, the River Teifi now has been ranked the fifth most sewage-polluted river in the UK, suffering 2,232 discharges lasting a combined 22,288 hours. The discharges, all recorded by Dŵr Cymru Welsh Water, underscore the dire state of the region’s infrastructure and regulation.

Meanwhile, Ceredigion emerged as the most sewage-polluted area in England and Wales, with 8,252 discharges lasting 94,836 hours—an unprecedented scale of pollution that has alarmed residents, politicians, and environmental groups alike.

***Cleddau is the worst-performing Special Area of Conservation river*** ***in Wales***

Cleddau declared worst-performing SAC river in Wales

Concerns have also intensified in Pembrokeshire, where the Cleddau River has now been classified by Natural Resources Wales (NRW) as the worst-performing Special Area of Conservation (SAC) river in Wales, failing to meet environmental standards across key metrics. The designation has triggered political mobilisation and grassroots activism.

The Cleddau River Project and Surfers Against Sewage have been particularly prominent.

A public meeting held last month at Haverfordwest Rugby Club last week drew more than 150 concerned residents, bringing together politicians, scientists, campaigners, and regulators to discuss solutions. Organised by local advocacy group The Cleddau Project, the event was chaired by Henry Tufnell MP, who vowed to raise the issue in Westminster.

“The Cleddau is a vital natural resource, and last night’s discussion highlighted the urgent need for action,” said Tufnell. “The insight shared by our expert panel and members of the community reinforced the importance of tackling pollution at its source and ensuring our regulatory bodies are held accountable. I will be raising these issues in Parliament and pushing for stronger regulations and enforcement.”

Campaign leader Ric Cooper, of The Cleddau Project, added: “It was encouraging to see so many people engaged in this discussion, but we need to ensure that words translate into concrete action.”

***Lib Dems say that residents deserve transparency and action***

Residents raised concerns about illegal discharges, agricultural runoff, and what they described as a systemic failure of enforcement by authorities.

At the meeting Jennifer Grubb from Welsh Water said: “We can do better. We need to do better.”

Political pressure mounts

Across West Wales, political figures are now facing increasing scrutiny. The Welsh Liberal Democrats have lambasted both Welsh Labour and the UK Conservative Government for what they describe as regulatory complacency.

Sandra Jervis, Welsh Lib Dem Senedd candidate for Ceredigion, said: “Welsh Labour has remained asleep at the wheel—using Dŵr Cymru’s status as an arm’s-length body as an excuse to avoid proper regulation and accountability. Residents deserve transparency and action.”

Party leader Jane Dodds MS added: “The Welsh Labour Government must get to grips with this crisis, properly regulate Welsh Water, and ensure there are real, enforceable punishments for breaking the rules and damaging our waterways.”

Welsh Water responds

Dŵr Cymru Welsh Water has attributed the vast number of discharges to the limitations of outdated rural infrastructure and reliance on Combined Sewer Overflows (CSOs).

A company spokesperson said: “We acknowledge the public concern and are committed to transparency and improvement. We’ve pledged £2.5 billion over the next five years, including £889 million specifically to improve storm overflows, to meet the challenges of climate change and aging infrastructure.”

Despite this, the company’s environmental record remains under intense scrutiny.

Regulatory failings and rising enforcement

Natural Resources Wales reported 107 sewage pollution incidents involving Welsh Water in 2023, with the number of serious incidents increasing from five to seven. Meanwhile, Ofwat has launched enforcement actions against all water companies in England and Wales, including Dŵr Cymru, amid growing concern that routine sewage releases have become normalised.

Impact on health and ecosystems

The effects are being felt far beyond the water’s edge. Campaign group Surfers Against Sewage reported 1,853 illness cases in 2024 linked to contaminated waters across the UK, many of them in Wales. Tourists and locals have also raised alarm over poor water quality at beaches in Cardigan Bay, New Quay, and along the Cleddau estuary.

The ecological cost has been severe. Local groups such as Save the Teifi have warned of dead fish, algae blooms, and collapsing biodiversity. “This is ecological vandalism,” said campaigner Lowri James. “Our rivers are dying before our eyes.”

From the Teifi to the Cleddau, the evidence is now overwhelming: sewage pollution is not confined to one catchment or one company—it is a widespread crisis demanding national attention. With communities, scientists, and politicians increasingly aligned in their calls for change, the question now is whether those in power will act before irreversible damage is done.

Cover image:

Surfers against sewage at Broad Haven in May 2024 (Image: Martin Cavaney)

Charity

Charity distances itself from viral post as £4,000 theft claim goes viral

Published

15 hours ago

April 17, 2025

Tom Sinclair

A VIRAL Facebook post accusing a man of stealing £4,000 from a veterans’ charity has been described as “unauthorised and irresponsible” by a senior member of the organisation.

The post, shared more than 2,100 times, was made by campaigner Eddy Cooper and alleges that Darren Edmundson — also known locally as “Pembrokeshire Patriot” — took money raised for PTSD Camp Bath while entrusted with access to the charity’s accounts.

However, when contacted by The Herald, Steve, who identified himself as second in command at PTSD Camp Bath, strongly criticised the claims and distanced the organisation from the social media post.

He said: “The post put out by Eddy Cooper was done without authorisation from the camp. He did this of his own volition, and if he is going down to Pembrokeshire to find Darren, then he is doing that on his own.”

“It was very irresponsible of Eddy Cooper to have shared that post on Facebook. I am not on there myself, so I have not seen anything.”

Steve confirmed he remains in contact with Darren Edmundson, who has reportedly lost his phone but is still communicating by email.

“We understand that he is down in Pembrokeshire on welfare business, and we expect him to return.”

On the main allegation of financial wrongdoing, he said: “Darren has no access to money which is ringfenced, and as of yet the accusation is unsubstantiated — we haven’t even seen the account to determine if anything is missing.”

He also rejected one of the most serious claims in the post — that Mr Edmundson had taken money from a 73-year-old Royal Marine staying at the camp.

“That accusation is false,” he said. “Because that is me. I shall be having a word with Eddy Cooper.”

He added: “If we do find money is missing, then it becomes a police matter.”

The organisation, he said, is aware of the concerns raised and will be issuing a formal statement shortly.

The Herald also spoke to Jo Drayson, who runs PTSD Camp Bath with her husband Dion. Mrs Drayson confirmed she had contacted the police and was advised that the situation could be a civil matter, rather than criminal.

This is because Darren Edmundson is legally authorised to access the account as its registered holder.

Mrs Drayson said she had not yet contacted the account provider, SumUp, to verify whether any funds had been spent, but planned to do so shortly.

She also claimed that she had been removed as a signatory on the account and that Mr Edmundson had allegedly changed the passwords, which could make access difficult.

The Herald has approached Avon and Somerset Police for comment.