A call for Pembrokeshire to back a multi-millionaire wealth tax to support public services submitted by a former councillor, once accused of being the covert graffiti artist ‘Banksy,’ has not gained enough support for it to be debated.
An e-petition on Pembrokeshire County Council’s own website, by William Gannon, a former Pembroke Dock town councillor, said: “We call upon Pembrokeshire County Council to lobby the Welsh and Westminster Governments to demand an increase in funding for all county councils to be paid for by a UK wealth tax of two per cent on individual assets over £10 million.
“This increased revenue should then be spent by PCC on supporting both working and vulnerable people and services throughout Pembrokeshire.
“Pembrokeshire County Council are struggling to maintain services in the face of rising costs and inadequate funding from the Welsh and UK Governments. Two solutions that PCC have identified for this problem are a rise in council tax and/or cuts to the services provided by PCC.
“These cuts are being felt throughout Pembrokeshire and have already resulted in, for example, the closure of an adult day care facility and the community art gallery in Pembroke Dock and are threatening the survival of Pembroke Dock Public Library.”
It added: “Tax Justice have estimated that the introduction of a wealth tax of two per cent on individual assets over £10 million could raise an estimated £24 billion each year in the UK.
“According to Tax Justice: ‘Setting this tax at a high threshold of £10 million in assets would ensure that only a tiny proportion of the population are impacted – just 20,000 people – yet would raise significant funds for our public services’.”
If a petition gets 500 signatures, the creator will have an opportunity to debate it at a future full council meeting; more than 100 will trigger a debate at a council overview and scrutiny committee.
The e-petition, which closed a few days ago, generated 91 signatures.
Back in 2022 the-then Cllr Gannon resigned from the town council saying the allegations he was the cult artist were undermining his ability to represent his ward.
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