NEW rules meaning anyone convicted of failing to pay council tax in Wales will no longer face a prison sentence will come into force in April 2019, it has been announced.

The Welsh Government had previously announced plans to ban prison sentences for non-payment of council tax. And now finance secretary Mark Drakeford has announced he will bring forward legislation to bring the new rules into place on April 1 next year, assuming the plan is backed by the Assembly.

In a statement Mr Drakeford said: “The payment of council tax is vital to maintaining the local services which we all rely upon every day.

"However, it is also right that those who are less able to contribute are treated fairly and with dignity. The sanction of imprisonment is an outdated and disproportionate response to a civil debt issue.

"The additional costs associated with the committal process and with imprisoning someone for non-payment of council tax, the failure of imprisonment to address the underlying causes of the debt and the impact on the future and wellbeing of those who are sent to prison and those closest to them can no longer be left unchallenged.

"The sanction of imprisonment was introduced as a mechanism for compelling the payment of council tax rather than for punishing non-payment."