Welsh Labor uses satellites to spy on homeowners and raises taxes

Senedd: Labor calls Wales 'the plan'; for the UK Photo: Matthew Horwood/PA

The Welsh Government has yet to reveal how it plans to reform the system. It has commissioned the Valuation Office, an agency of HMRC, to use “the latest technology” to value homes in Wales.

The Telegraph can now reveal data currently being collected by the Valuation Office, where officials are creating an “automated valuation model” to produce up-to-date values ​​for all 1.5 million homes in Wales.

< p>As part of the model they are using “ aerial and street photography» to check the size of homes and gardens.

They also look at energy performance certificates (EPCs), meaning more energy efficient homes (such as those with double glazing) could potentially attract higher taxes.

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They are reviewing local authority planning websites, meaning homeowners with extensions or outbuildings may also be charged higher council tax.

Council reassessment The tax will increase charges on larger properties. Photo: Michael Roberts/Moment RF

Michael Gove, the housing secretary, said: “Sir Keir Starmer is using his 'blueprint' Labor government in Wales to test his plans to raise council taxes. in people's homes.

«Straight out of the same old Labor playbook, these Big Brother tactics will punish families with higher scores simply for having good schools or low crime rates.»

He added that while the Conservatives will keep council tax low, the Labor Government will «bring us back to square one with higher borrowing and higher tax.»

The Valuation Office also looks at how good transport links, crime rates and schools are in any given area to feed into its council tax revaluation model.

In addition to information from the Land Registry, which records the prices at which homes are bought and sold, the valuation model will include «lot size». using data from National Geographic's Ordnance Survey database.

Details of how the Welsh Government will carry out the council tax reassessment emerged in parliamentary questions tabled by Paul Howell, Conservative MP.< /p>

A reassessment of council tax bands across England, which will require a valuation of every home in country, could prove extremely controversial.

Mr McMahon, from Sir Keir's shadow cabinet, is in favor of revaluation. Photo: Ian Forsyth/Getty

Similar plans were shelved by Tony Blair in 2005 after the 2003 Welsh revaluation led to higher taxes for many households. The backlash prompted Labor to pledge in its 2010 manifesto not to reassess council tax in the next parliament.

David Cameron abandoned the plan altogether after coming to power in 2010 after it was estimated that That would mean more than seven million households in England would have to pay an extra £320 a year or more.

However, national revaluations have since been regularly presented to Conservative chancellors by Treasury officials as a way to ease the tax burden on those living in lower-value homes. The plan was rejected on the grounds that it would increase the incomes of millions of people.

Currently council tax bands in England are based on the price at which each property would have been sold in 1991.

In February 2020, Mr McMahon said: “We must look back and recognize that there has been a collective failure to reassess council tax and the need for modernization. Governments shy away from it because it's unpopular, but we now have a very unfair system.»

The Welsh Government uses satellite imagery for council tax reassessment. Photo: Alami

The Valuation Office agency denies using Big Brother tactics, with a spokesman saying: “We are simply accessing freely available information so that any new valuations are based on the latest information.

“The assessment methods we use are recognized internationally as best practice.”

A Welsh Government spokesman said: “We are listening to communities as we consider options for council tax reform in Wales .

“We are acutely aware of the financial pressures people face due to the cost of living crisis and poor economic management by the UK Government and this will be at the forefront of our considerations.”< /p>

Darren Jones, Labour's shadow chief secretary to the Treasury, said: «The next Labor government will bring councils' finances back to an even level with multi-year financial settlements so they can plan for the long term and save.» .

“All of our decisions are made to put more money back into the pockets of working people. Only Labor can give the chance our country needs.»