Island set for 9.5% council tax increase
COUNCIL tax payers on Anglesey face a near 10 per cent hike in their bills. The proposed figure being put forward is 9.5 per cent.
Anglesey County Council’s executive had mooted a figure of 10.9 per cent in January - so it is a reduction on that but bill payers still face a major increase. The figure will be decided by full council on Thursday.
The proposed changes were described during an extraordinary (budget) meeting of the Anglesey County Council executive last Thursday. In the revenue budget monitoring quarter three report the executive’s final proposals were set out.
It stated: “The increase in Council Tax is reduced to 9.5%, of which 0.9% relates to an increase in the Fire Authority levy and 8.6% relates to the council’s budget requirement.”
Other amended figures included a cap on the inflationary increase to schools being reduced from 2.5% to 1.5% - increasing the overall schools budget by £498k - and savings planned for Additional Learning Needs (£100k) would not be implemented in 2024/25.
A £50k for savings for non-statutory social care support services would be retained to fund transitional costs incurred in re-modelling the service.
It also proposed £46k was added to the public conveniences cleaning budget to meet extra costs following the re-tendering of the service.
Reducing the opening hours of leisure centres would be “modified” to allow for Amlwch Leisure Centre to remain open until 3pm, rather than close at 1pm - an extra cost of £12k.
Deputy leader and finance portfolio holder Cllr Robin Williams told the meeting the council’s initial budget had been planned with a temporary settlement announced by the Welsh Government in mind.
“In 2023 the settlement was lower than what we expected, £3.38m, equivalent to 2.67 per cent, of the budget, we thought we would get
three per cent. We had recommended a budget of £184.219M based on that settlement, we would have needed to use £4,25 4M of general balances and increase council tax.”
Since then there had been a public consultation and forum discussion which found schools were the priority for 77 per cent of responders, 68 per cent put children’s services as a priority and 66 per cent were for waste and recycling.
Cllr Williams added: “The UK government had also announced additional money for local authorities in England and, due to the Barnett formula, we were getting additional money in Wales and our share is
£332,000.”
“The situation was a little better than we first foresaw, when we set the budget. That meant half a million extra could go to our schools.” he added. “We were also able to look again at council tax, I am glad to say we have been able to bring the rate to 9.5 per cent, but that does mean Band D will increase by £136. 44p.”
He said that was comparable with other local authorities in Wales.
“Conwy has agreed on 9.67 per cent, Denbighshire 9.34 and Wrexham, I think, is 9.99, with Gwynedd and Flintshire 9.15 and 9,” he said.
“There is less money coming to us at times when inflation has been running at 7, 8, 9, or even 10 per cent and we have to fund an increase in wages, the financial pressure falls on us.”
Speaking after the meeting he added: “Obviously we have to set a balanced budget like every authority, but it has been very difficult, our settlements from Cardiff were not enough to cover inflationary pressures. But we have managed to find some savings. It is very slightly better news, to present a lower increase of 9.5 per cent council tax .
“All the Welsh local authorities are all in the same boat, swimming against the tide, doing the best we can to try and balance our budgets against what is a very difficult economic climate.”