Language campaigners have plastered holiday rentals with stickers saying Wales is not for sale. Members and supporters of Cymdeithas yr Iaith have targeted summer houses in Rhosneigr on Anglesey with the posters declaring "Nid yw Cymru ar Werth" which translates as "Wales is not for sale".
The group want the council to increase the amount of council tax paid by second home owners, which has been set at a 75% premium since 2019. But councils can charge a premium of up to 300%. In nearby Gwynedd, the council has revealed plans to increase council tax to 150% - at present, second home owners in the area pay 100% extra - or double - the normal council tax rate.
Speaking ahead of an Anglesey Council cabinet meeting Osian Jones, spokesman for the Nid yw Cymru ar Werth campaign, said: "The regulations and the housing situation have changed since the council made the original decision to raise a council tax premium of 75% on second homes. 2,208 houses on the island are considered second homes, which is 9% of the county's housing stock, so the council needs to use the opportunity next week to put measures in place now to reduce the problem, by raising the council tax premium for second houses.
"The Welsh Government is not doing enough either - it has been slow to give guidelines to councils about their new powers, and there is still no mention of money or resources for councils to cover the additional work."
Earlier this yea, Cymdeithas yr Iaith organised a Wales is not for sale rally outside the council offices. The group acknowledges that second homes are only part of the problem. Average house prices are £275,635 while the average salary is £27,124. The organisation is calling for a Property Act that will regulate the housing market.
Mr Jones added: "While our communities are losing housing stock and local people are having to leave their communities, neither our councils nor the Government are doing enough, or acting quickly enough. We will use a Nid yw Cymru ar Werth rally in Llanrwst on December 17 to call on councils across Wales to make full use of the powers they have to tackle the effect of second houses, as well as calling on them to press for a complete Property Act which will regulate the housing market."
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