A POTENTIAL visitor levy in Argyll and Bute is set to return to the agenda for councillors early in the New Year.
Councillors have been invited to attend a specially-convened full council meeting on Thursday, January 29 – earlier than the full council usually first meets in a calendar year.
A council spokesperson has confirmed to the Local Democracy Reporting Service that the visitor levy will be one of the items on the agenda.
The process of a visitor levy was paused in September to allow the council to seek clarity on potential changes to legislation on how rates could be set. It was also resolved that a follow-up meeting would take place in January at the latest.
A total of 21 out of 32 councillors voted with the motion, while the other 11 voted for one of two motions which would have seen the visitor levy proposal rejected altogether.
No information has been made available on any further items which could be on the agenda at the January 29 meeting.
Presenting the motion to pause the process, depute leader Councillor Ross Moreland (Liberal Democrat, Dunoon) said: “The executive director (Kirsty Flanagan) has laid out in detail the non-statutory work the council does to support businesses in the area.
“We also support one-off events such as the Clipper race and the Mod, and as the head of economic growth (Fergus Murray) has said, we need to grow tourism so that we can remain competitive not only with the UK, but the rest of the globe.
“However, with the possible changes coming from the Scottish Government, and what those could mean, there is a need to pause and seek not only clarity from the Scottish Government, but also the UK Government.
“We will ask the leader (Councillor Jim Lynch, SNP, Oban South and the Isles) to write to the Scottish Government regarding Ivan McKee’s letter as soon as possible.
“He will also write to the UK Government seeking help on the VAT threshold and look at getting local exemptions, such as travel for medical reasons.”
Councillor Gary Mulvaney (Conservative, Helensburgh Central), then leader of the council’s largest opposition group, introduced his amendment by saying: “When we consulted on it and spoke to people, they said it was overly complicated. One thing we have learned in the short life working group from the participation of stakeholders was that business is struggling.
“It is a tough one for business, and probably even tougher if you are a tourist business, so we need to recognise that.
“We need to allow that to inform our decision-making, so our motion is very much along the lines that we reject the draft visitor levy proposal which we have consulted on.
“Anything we do as a council, we need to demonstrate the benefits. We need to go out and sell it and say what a difference it will make to tourism, facilities that tourists rely on, and our own residents take account of.
“I do not think we should roll this out. We should make a balanced decision and be able to demonstrate the value to the people we represent.”
Presenting her different amendment, Councillor Amanda Hampsey (Conservative, Oban South and the Isles) said: “I do not believe any flowery words are required. The consultation has resulted in strong views that the draft proposal does not work for our area.
“Our responsibility is to protect local livelihoods and ensure any policy we support strengthens, rather than harms, our communities.
“Communities and businesses deserve to know what amendments may be coming, and when they may take effect.
“Any future consideration must be backed by strong public support and solid evidence it will deliver benefits for the people of Argyll and Bute.”
After an inquiry by the Local Democracy Reporting Service, a council spokesperson said: “I can confirm that the visitor levy is one of the items that will be on the agenda.”
