Monmouthshire’s deputy leader and cabinet member for enterprise is urging the Welsh Government to support businesses hit by rate rises and has promised to step in with help should government assistance not be forthcoming

Speaking following a meeting of Monmouthshire’s Conservative group on Monday, Councillor Bob Greenland said the group could give some financial support to affected businesses if the Tories remain in power after May 4.

Councillor Greenland said,"The Welsh Government controls the rating system. They have been provided with a raft of evidence to demonstrate the risks of closure that this revaluation will have on some of our businesses.

“The businesses at risk are mainly in our town centres. If these businesses close it could send our town centres into rapid decline. The £10 million fund the Welsh Government has brought forward so far for the whole of Wales will still leave many businesses facing closure. We will continue to fight for our businesses.”

Councillor Greenland said if the Conservative group remained in overall control following the council elections on May 4 it would step in to offer some financial support to the worst affected businesses if the Welsh Government failed to offer further help.

This commitment was confirmed in the full council meeting later in the day.

Leader of the council, Councillor Peter Fox explained, "We are about to enter a pre-election period during which time the council is not permitted to make fundamental commitments of this type. So we will have to wait and see if Monmouthshire remains under Conservative control after May 4.

Late last week Councillor Greenwood wrote to the Welsh Government’s Mark Drakeford to urge further support for the county’s independent businesses, many of which would have little or no access to relief of any kind.

Councillor Greenland said he had identified four main areas of concern: the Welsh Government scheme he says fails to protect businesses from large increases and is in contrast to rate relief in England where increases have been capped at £50 per month for small businesses and pubs. This has been made possible partly by a graduated annual change from pre-revaluation lists to the new lists.

He also pointed out that money was made available in the recent UK budget to help alleviate the threat to businesses. As a result of that decision, funding to Wales for the relief of businesses threatened by revaluation was made available within a headline figure of £200 million.

He asked if it was the intention of the Welsh Government to use any of that money to help hard-pressed local businesses faced with enormous hikes in rates.

Councillor Greenland also raised the appeal process against revaluation fearing that the lengthy and costly procedure could force businesses out of existence because of cash flow difficulties caused by having to pay increases later found to be unwarranted. He suggested that such businesses should be subject to pre-revaluation rates while appeals are heard.

Finally, Councillor Greenland queried whether revaluation had been assessed in a consistent manner across Wales, given the decrease in rateable values in Cardiff (-3.5 per cent) and an increase in Monmouthshire (+7 per cent).

Councillor Greenland said, “Rates revaluation and its effect on business rates remains a critical issue for our businesses in Monmouthshire. I’m hoping the Welsh Government recognises the damage that will be inflicted on some of them and I seek action to prevent the closure of some iconic local firms.”