Confirmation of 2.9 per cent Council Tax increase

At Powys County Council’s full council on Thursday, March 4, councillors met to formally set the Council Tax.

This means that the cost for a Band D property will rise by £39.58 a year or 76 pence a week.

The average Council Tax bill for a Band D property in Powys will be £1,404.26.

But this excludes the Town/Community Council and Police precepts that are added to the bills.

The decision was narrowly voted through at Powys County Council’s meeting on Thursday, February 25.

At the start of the item councillors were warned by chief executive, Dr Caroline Turner, that the resolution was a “technical” one, and not a chance to “reopen debate.”

Opposition groups were given the opportunity of speaking on the resolution with Councillor Williams Powell for the Liberal Democrat/Green group and Councillor Mathew Dorrance leader of the Labour group stressing that they would not be backing the budget.

Plaid Cymru group leader Councillor Elwyn Vaughan said that he wanted to see the authority highlight the help available for people who could struggle to pay the bill.

As part of the budget debate last week, changes to the Council Tax made on February 22, which saw the Independent/Conservative group change their original drop their original proposal of a 3.9 per cent increase to 2.9 per cent, also included provision for a £1.8 million “Covid Recovery Fund.”

Funding allocations of up to £2.8 million coming to Powys from the Welsh Government in January and February, had allowed the cabinet to change the proposals.

More details of the fund were given at a Cabinet meeting on Tuesday March 2.

It was explained that the fund will go up to around £2 million which would allow £1 million to be spent over two years,

Of this £400,000 would go to charity groups with £600,000 to go to the Council’s Economy and Environment directorate with the proviso that a “minimum of 50 per cent” be used on Highway maintenance.

Councillor Jeremy Pugh, Action for Powys said: “We will not be voting for this because we believe £1.8millionCovid Recovery Fund was misrepresented.

“The announcement that this fund can be used to fill potholes shows it’s a total fallacy.”

Portfolio holder for finance, Councillor Aled Davies said that Powys is one of the few local authorities that has money advice officers to help people with their bills.

Cllr Davies said: “If you have people in your communities who have issues around payment, please ask them to get in touch with the money advice officers.

“We appreciate it’s a large sum of money that goes out of the bank every month, but it’s extremely important that our services are well maintained.

“I know we are increasing council tax, but the point must be made that it’s one of, if not the lowest in Wales.

“We have gone that extra mile to ensure that our Council Tax is kept as low as possible.”

Councillor Michael Williams proposed to go to the vote, and this was seconded by Councillor Phyl Davies.

The first vote, which was to acknowledge the council tax amounts calculated for each community in Powys, was passed by 38 votes to 32.

The vote to accept the Council Tax was passed by 39 votes to 31.

In February the Dyfed-Powys Police precept rose by 5.76 per cent or an extra £15 on a Band D home.

This increases the police precept on Band D home in Powys to £275.56 which needs to be added to these figures.