PRESSURE from Conservative opposition councillors has seen Somerset Council rule out introducing any form of ‘holiday tax’ for the foreseeable future.

The Government is giving regional mayors and some councils the power to levy a ‘tourism tax’, adding to the cost of overnight stays for visitors in some areas with the money raised spent on local facilities.

The Somerset authority initially refused to make any decision on the issue as it said it did not have powers to introduce such a levy anyway.

Now, Somerset executive Cllr Federica Smith-Roberts has clarified the position and said she shared the concerns of Conservative councillors about the importance of the visitor economy to the county.

Cllr Smith-Roberts said: “Indeed, tourism is identified as one of the county’s bedrock sectors in our economic prosperity strategy.

“The position is that at present, there is no basis on which English local authorities, such as this council, can or could in the future set a tax on visitors.

“We do not have the power to set a tax on visitors, and any move towards an overnight visitor levy are subject to the Government’s decisions, approach to regional devolution, and the decisions of any future strategic authority covering our area.”

The council’s Conservative group, led by Cllr Diogo Rodrigues, had been pressing the authority to show its backing for businesses which depended on tourist trade by ruling out the possibility of a ‘holiday tax’ being levied in the county.

Conservative Cllr Bob Filmer said: “Many of these businesses are family-run and are already having to deal with increased Government taxes, increased costs to employ staff, and increased overheads such as fuel.

“They cannot afford any further burdens imposed locally.”

Local MP Rachel Gilmour also recently warned the Government it needed to ‘think long and hard’ before trying to bring in any ‘tourism tax’.