Coventry councillors debate tax on tourists

Coventry City Council will explore the possibility of introducing a tax on overnight visitors to the city – but no decision will be made without consultation, a city councillor has said.

The issue was debated at a full meeting of the council, after the government announced in the Budget it could give some mayors and local leaders the power to introduce an "overnight visitor levy".

Conservative opposition leader Gary Ridley raised concerns it could deter people from visiting the city.

But the cabinet member for business at the Labour-run authority, Jim O'Boyle, accused the Conservatives of "scaremongering".

Sometimes referred to as a hotel or tourist tax, it would essentially be an additional charge paid by people staying in tourist accommodation overnight.

It is likely any decision on introducing such a tax for Coventry and the wider region would need to be rubber stamped by the Labour mayor for the West Midlands, Richard Parker.

Ridley used Tuesday's meeting to call on the council to rule out the implementation of a regional tourist tax, suggesting the move would amount to "a Birmingham-based mayor levying a tax on Coventry" and added "there isn't even any guarantee that the revenue raised from it would be spent in Coventry".

But O'Boyle accused the Tories of being "hypocritical", pointing out that former Conservative West Midlands Mayor Andy Street had called for the implementation of a similar tax in 2019.

O'Boyle added that he would "back a grown-up approach that will see evidence-led policy, proper consultation, and local democratic accountability".

He said he did not believe a tax could be introduced before 2028, after the next mayoral election, in order there to be enough time for the required consultation and relevant legislation to be passed.

Reform group leader Jackie Gardiner said they "shared the Conservatives' concerns" but said they "reserve the right of judgment until what is actually proposed is revealed".

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