A 22,000 signature petition calling for business rate relief for charity shops to be kept has been presented to the Welsh Assembly.
Charities have urged the Welsh Government to reject proposals which will restrict vital business rate relief for Welsh Charity shops.
More than 1,000 people from Caerphilly signed the petition.
Warren Alexander, chief executive of the Charity Retail Association, the voice of charity retail in Wales, presented the petition, alongside campaigners which included Assembly Members and representatives from Welsh charity organisations WCVA, Tenovus, Oxfam Cymru, Paul Sartori Foundation and British Red Cross.
Mr Alexander said: “Charity shops make a vital contribution to raising income for a huge range of good causes in Wales. 100 per cent of their profits go to charity, raising over £12 million every year in Wales. Proposals which reduce business rate relief or restrict charity shops in other ways will reduce this income, and will cause charity shops to close, leaving more empty shops on Welsh high streets and threatening 700 full time jobs and 9,000 volunteering opportunities offered by charity shops in Wales. It would significantly reduce the services that charities are able to provide in Welsh communities, having a disastrous effect on many people all across Wales.
“We are delighted with the public support, over 22,000 signatures is a huge amount for a public petition such as this, and emphasises the strong opposition from both the charity sector and general public in Wales, as well as the huge support and affection Welsh people feel for their charity shops.”
A Welsh Government consultation on whether business rate relief for charity shops should be restricted closed in December and the Government is currently reviewing evidence and due to make a decision this month.
The petition was presented to William Powell chair of the National Assembly’s Petitions Committee on the steps of the Senedd on Wednesday January 9.
It reads: “Charity shops make a vital contribution to raising income for a huge range of good causes in Wales. 100% of their profits go to charity, raising over £12 million every year in Wales.
“Proposals which reduce business rate relief for charity shops in Wales will reduce this income, and will cause charity shops to close, leaving more empty shops on Welsh high streets and threatening 700 full time jobs and 9,000 volunteering opportunities offered by charity shops in Wales. It will significantly reduce the services that charities are able to provide in Welsh communities.
“We call upon the National Assembly for Wales to urge the Welsh Government to reject proposals which will restrict the vital business rate relief for Welsh charity shops.”