Tories slam Powys County Council over its 8.9 per cent council tax hike

Next Tuesday, Powys County Council’s Liberal Democrat/Labour Cabinet is expected to endorse a draft budget which includes the Council Tax hike.

Conservative group leader, Councillor Aled Davies said: “This is the third council budget delivered by the Liberal Democrat/Labour coalition; they should have by now set a clear ambitious programme for the future of Powys.

“However, what is clear is that the Lib Dems only have a program of decline and disinvestment, while hiking up Council Tax to the highest ever level, far higher than the average council tax paid in other Welsh councils.

“Our roads are a mess.

“This week we have seen our rural roads covered in ice, with no salt heaps distributed, leading to crashes and hardship for many families and businesses and yet the Cabinet have decided to reduce the revenue expenditure in Highways Transport and Recycling even further.”

He added that the Lib Dem and Labour coalition “promise much” and “deliver nothing.”

Fellow Conservative Councillor Peter Lewington who represents Newtown West added: “I have lost all confidence in the Lib Dem leadership of the council.“

"There have been a series of car crashes beyond these broken promises on Council Tax, from the shambles of car parking charges, home to school transport, highways maintenance, Pupil Referral Unit closure, school closure, the list goes on."

The finance portfolio is held by Labour’s Councillor David Thomas who has issued a statement on the proposals.

He said: “In our draft budget we are trying to balance the need of front-line service delivery within severe financial constraints and the overall cost to the council taxpayer.

“The planned budget savings will focus on transforming our services, increasing efficiency, driving down costs and raising more income.

“We are taking this action now to ensure that we can continue to deliver care services, schools, highways and homeless support for the people of Powys.”

He added that senior councillors from the cabinet will be adding their voices to the chorus of Welsh local authority leaders who are lobbying for more money from the Welsh Government through a “funding floor.”

Should this mechanism be implemented and more cash flow up from Cardiff Bay to county hall, Councillor Thomas says that “amendments” to the current budget proposal can be considered.

The council has calculated that to run its services next year it needs £378 million which is a £36.4 million increase from the £341.626 million this year.

The council calculates that it has £355.944 million to spend next year which leaves a budget gap of £22.120 million.

The extra money raised by Council Tax will bring that gap down by £9.833 million which means that £12.287 million in cuts, savings and efficiencies will need to be found during the year.

Once Cabinet approves the draft budget it will be subject to several weeks of scrutiny before the final version of the budget will go to a full council meeting on February 20 for a vote.

Time and potential meetings have also been factored into the process to allow opposition groups including the Conservatives to bring alternative budget proposal to the table for scrutiny.