Archive Council News

01.09.04

Assembly Council Tax Revaluation and Rebanding

The Assembly has announced details of the revaluation of individual households for council tax band purposes.

This is the first revaluation of domestic property in Wales since council tax was introduced in 1993 and the process has brought them into line with changes in the property market. Properties were revalued as of 1 April 2003 and the new bands and valuations come into effect on 1 April 2005.

The new band ranges are outlined in a leaflet “Important Information and Guidance – Council Tax Revaluation and Rebanding 2005” which will be delivered by the Assembly to every household in Wales. It is anticipated that these leaflets, together with a notification of banding, will be sent to households in the Wrexham County Borough area during the week commencing 13 September.

Link to Revaluation and Rebanding Information

It was widely expected that around 25% of households would move up, 50% stay the same and 25% move down as this was the pattern predicted in the consultation documents on the new bands. However in Wales 33% have gone up with only 8% reducing.

In Wrexham the situation is even more pronounced, with 53% of properties moving into higher bands and only 1% reducing and 46% remaining in the same band.

Council Leader Neil Rogers said

“that the results of the Assembly’s exercise are extremely surprising and of tremendous concern. It was recognised that Wrexham was becoming a housing hotspot but the Council was not expecting to have over half of the properties in the area moving to a higher band, second only to Cardiff. We will be seeking urgent discussions with Assembly Ministers, Dr Marek and Karen Sinclair to examine the conclusions and consider what further measures could be introduced to offset these increases for the people of Wrexham. Relief will continue to be available for those people on low incomes through Council Tax Benefit and I encourage all potential claimants to take up this assistance”.

The full impact on council tax levels for 2005/06 cannot be determined at this stage. Chief Financial Services Officer Mark Owen, said

“that over the next couple of months work will continue with the Assembly on the technical aspects which will enable an assessment of the impact on the amount tax payers will be expected to pay next year. The Assembly is proposing to introduce a ‘damping’ scheme to phase in the changes at the Council level. This is essential if large increases in council tax levels for next year, are to be avoided. The Assembly also intends to smooth the change for households that move up the banding system by two or more bands. Until I see the detail of these proposals it is not possible to accurately assess the impact for Wrexham’s council tax payers”.

To help householders, Wrexham County Borough Council will be placing a copy of the full list (some 2,000 pages) in Lambpit Street reception area.

The Assembly’s Valuation Office Agency has opened a dedicated helpline for enquiries about the new council tax bands – 0845 600 1748 (calls charged at local rate). Lines are open from 08.30 hours to 17.00 hours Monday to Friday.

Further information about Council Tax in Wrexham