Assembly Member for Gower, Rebecca Evans, has welcomed new research which reveals that hair and beauty salons contribute up to £283 million a year to the Welsh economy and employ 11,000 people. Mrs Evans attended an event at the Senedd in Cardiff where ISA Training, the largest independent hair and beauty training provider in Wales, launched the economic impact assessment report. Mrs Evans said: “It was great to have the opportunity to discuss the importance of hair and beauty sector to our Welsh economy, and to meet entrepreneurs from Gower who are succeeding in this field. "For too long the sector has been undervalued and falsely portrayed as a low skilled and low paid career choice. The reality is that across Gower, people are running successful small businesses in the hair and beauty sector, and investing in the training of their staff. "There are a very large number of innovative hair and beauty small businesses in our area with loyal and happy customers who attest to their professionalism and skill. “Hair, barbering and beauty salons play an important role on our Welsh high streets, boosting the local economy, keeping communities vibrant, and developing entrepreneurial skills.” A new permanent Small Business Rate Relief scheme from the Welsh Labour Government will provide support and security for small businesses across Gower, local AM Rebecca Evans has said. The permanent small business rates relief scheme, which will be introduced from 1 April 2018, will provide 100% relief for sites with a rateable value of £6,000 or less and then tapered relief for sites with a rateable value of between £6,000 and £12,000. As part of the scheme, there will also be a limit to the number of properties that a single business can claim rate relief on. This means that large businesses and national chains will be prevented from benefitting greatly from the scheme, and will allow relief to be channelled more effectively to support small and local businesses. Rebecca Evans AM said: “Small businesses are at the heart of our local economy. The new permanent small business rate relief scheme from the Welsh Labour Government rightly recognises the vital role they play. “The new permanent scheme will provide more certainty and security for small businesses across Gower, supporting local jobs and economic growth.” The Welsh Government has made a particular promise to extend the free childcare offer available to working families. To support childcare providers, their upper threshold for rates relief will increase from £12,000 to £20,500. The scheme also provides £5 million across Wales to extend the temporary high street rates relief scheme into 2018-19. Rebecca Evans AM will be holding an advice surgery, on Friday December 15th, 10am - 11am at Canolfan y Bont, Pontardulais. If you think Rebecca can be of assistance, please come along. No appointment necessary. Gower Assembly Member, Rebecca Evans, has welcomed new support for homebuyers in Wales. A new starting threshold for land transaction tax has been announced by the Welsh Government, removing tens of thousands of homebuyers from paying tax. From April 1 2018, when land transaction tax replaces stamp duty land tax in Wales, the starting threshold will be £180,000. This means anyone buying a home costing £180,000 or less in Wales – regardless of whether they are a first time buyer - will not pay land transaction tax under the main rates of tax. The decision by the Welsh Government means that in Wales 65% of all homebuyers will pay no tax under the main rates – whether they are first time buyers or not. Rebecca Evans AM said: “This announcement is not just very good news for first time buyers - for whom the average purchase price in Wales is £135,000 - but also for those homeowners who are wishing to move house. 65% of homebuyers will pay no tax on their purchase, and eight in ten people buying their first home will pay no tax. The Welsh Government’s approach is more exciting, and will have a much wider reach, than that recently announced by the UK Government for first time buyers in England.” Rebecca Evans AM, Assembly Member for Gower, is welcoming the news that six Gower charities have each won a share of £27,675 in small grants from the Big Lottery Fund. Rebecca Evans said: “I am very pleased that play schemes, community luncheon clubs, animal charities and others providing important services to the people of Gower have together been awarded more than £27,000 of Big Lottery small grants funding.” Every year, the Big Lottery Fund distribute millions of pounds of the National Lottery's good cause money to community groups and charitable projects around the UK. The Big Lottery Fund is responsible for distributing 40 per cent of all funds raised for good causes by the National Lottery. This totals over £650 million each year. Rebecca Evans added: “These small grants can be a big help to local community groups and charitable projects in Gower. If there are other groups that would be interested in exploring grant funding, please contact me and I will be able to put you in touch with the Big Lottery Fund and other grant making bodies.” Rebecca Evans AM for Gower has written to the UK CEO of the RBS Group, of which NatWest is a part, following the announcement that the branch will be closing in June 2018. Rebecca Evans AM said: "We all know the pressure that the high street banking industry is under because of advances in technology and changes in customers' banking behaviour. However, it is often the most vulnerable who suffer the most, and the closure of one bank after the other across our communities is just not good enough. I am seeking a much more strategic and innovative approach to community banking to stem the tide of banks leaving our high streets in Wales. "Mumbles has numerous independent retailers, and small businesses tell me that they need access to a local bank in order to manage their money. Business people in Mumbles are extremely concerned about what Nat West’s departure will mean for them and their ability to operate. "I am also very concerned about our older residents, for some of whom online banking just isn't a realistic option. Lots of older people prefer to use cash and manage their household budget on a week to week basis. Travelling considerable distances to use the bank is not as easy as it sounds for people who don't have a car, particularly for those who are older or disabled." Rebecca Evans will be meeting with a representative of NatWest to discuss the issue further. Gower Assembly Member, Rebecca Evans AM, has welcomed exciting Welsh Labour Government plans for the refurbishment and redevelopment of Penclawdd Health Centre and Murton Community Clinic in her Gower Constituency. The centres in Penclawdd and Murton are part of Welsh Government plans to deliver nineteen new integrated health and care centres across Wales by 2021. Funding of up to £68 million has been identified for the centres across Wales, and makes up part of a significant targeted investment in primary and community care infrastructure by the Welsh Labour Government. The work to be carried out in Penclawdd and Murton is intended to improve access to a range of health and social care services closer to people’s homes. Rebecca Evans AM said: “This is great news for health services in the communities of Penclawdd and Murton. “People rightly want and expect 21st century facilities, and that is what the Welsh Labour Government is delivering for our community." Rebecca Evans AM will be holding an advice surgery, on Friday December 8th, 11am - midday at St John's Church Hall Gowerton.
If you think Rebecca can be of assistance, please come along. No appointment necessary. A new role – Housing and Regeneration In the recent cabinet re-shuffle, I was appointed to a new position as Minister for Housing and Regeneration. One of my responsibilities will be for the Welsh Government’s response to the UK Government’s welfare reforms, and I know many of you may have questions or concerns as Swansea will shortly be moving to Universal Credit. One of the first things I did in my new role was to write to the UK Secretary of State reiterating the Welsh Government’s concerns and emphasising the devastating impact that Universal Credit is already having on vulnerable families where it has been rolled out – including increased debt, anxiety and homelessness – which is in turn putting pressure on devolved public services here in Wales. Universal Credit is due to roll out for new claimants across Swansea on December 13th. I recently visited the Job Centre in Gorseinon to hear how staff are preparing for this, and to ensure that the team is well linked in to other local services and charities that can support people through tough times. There are many local organisations which stand ready to help. Between April and September of this year, the Trussel Trust alone handed out more than 43,000 food parcels across Wales, and they and other food banks across our area are concerned that the situation will worsen in the run-up to Christmas when demand usually spikes. People in work and out of work can access food banks. If you need help, there is help out there; and if you can donate, please do. Christmas shouldn’t be a time of stress and worry, but for many families it is – especially as welfare reform starts to bite. Gorseinon’s Councillor Kelly Roberts came up with a great way to spread some festive cheer by organising a ‘pop-up shop’ to coincide with the food bank and take some of the pressure off families by providing Christmas gifts. This is a great example of the community pulling together, and there are plans afoot for an Easter pop-up shop, and a Back to School pop up shop too. And, as ever, Tonia and I are here to help. May I take this opportunity to wish all the residents of Gower a very happy Christmas and a prosperous new year. |
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