Powys will get £18 million more from the Welsh Government for 2022/23 budget

On Tuesday, December 21, the Welsh Government announced its provisional local government settlement.

Powys will see its funding increase from £192 million this year to over £210 million for 2022/23.

The authority has also shot up to sixth in the local government funding table, having languished in the basement for several years.

A council spokesman said the settlement had been “well received.”

The Welsh Government’s minister for finance and local government, Rebecca Evans said: “Adjusting for transfers, the core revenue funding for local government in 2022-23 will increase by 9.4 per-cent on a like-for-like basis compared to the current year.

“No authority will receive less than an 8.4 per-cent increase.”

Ms Evans continued: “As in recent years, our priorities continue to be health and local government services.

“This significantly increased settlement will enable local authorities to continue to deliver the services their communities want and need as well as supporting national and local ambitions for the future, including responding to the climate and nature emergency and contributing to our Net Zero Wales plan.”

“This is a good settlement for local government.

“It provides local authorities with a stable platform on which to plan their budgets for the coming financial year and beyond.

“We have worked closely with local government and we appreciate the pressures local government is facing.

“We will continue to protect local government, particularly at this difficult and challenging time.”

She added that staff pay rises and as well as living wage costs for care workers had been factored into the increased settlement.

The Welsh Government is expected to confirm its budget in March 2022.

Powys will set its budget including the level of Council Tax in late February or early March.