MORE COUNCIL SERVICES AT RISK

ROAD sweeping could be reduced, child psychologists cut and some primary schools with low numbers potentially “rationalised” to help balance the books over the next three years.

The county council has launched a public consultation about new savings proposals before a budget is set for 201920 and beyond.

Like all authorities, Carmarthenshire is grappling with difficult grant settlements from central government while having to fund public sector pay rises and meet demographic pressures such as an ageing population.

It is targeting £9.8m savings next year and a further £18m in the following two years — and this is on top of some £50m savings it has made since around 2013-14.

Councillor David Jenkins, executive board member for resources, said: “Once again we have had a disappointing provisional settlement from the Welsh Government which leaves us in a very challenging position, with difficult choices to make between balancing the books and the needs of our communities.

“As always, we will be taking the views of the public on board as part of a wide-ranging consultation on proposals, and we will do all we can to mitigate the impact on frontline services.”

A raft of savings proposals have previously been agreed for 2019-20. The council is now consulting on new ones.

Here are some of the new 2019-20 proposals for highways, transport and waste services:

Stop scheduled road sweeping along rural roads (£282,000)

Review provision of civic amenity sites in the north of the county (£70,000)

Stop flowerbed and shrub planting in town centres or transfer this service to town councils (£38,000)

Review and reduce number of roads gritted in winter (£32,000).

New savings proposals for education and children include:

“Rationalising” expensive-to-run primary schools with low numbers, partly by creating school federations, to reduce the primary school estate (£100,000) with more savings in the following two years

Cutting the youth support service’s budget (£100,000)

Reducing the number of education and child psychologists (£50,000).

Leisure and culture proposals include:

Co-locating some branch libraries with other businesses or premises (£10,000)

Reducing opening hours at Parc Howard Museum (£8,000).

Council chiefs also propose closing Pendine Outdoor Education Centre, which offers residential placements to primary pupils, in 2020-21 because the building needs a lot of investment and other providers can step in.

Grass cutting around town centres could also end in 2020-21, with a view to transferring that work to interested town councils.

Council tax is in line to rise by 4.89% in 2019-20, but no decisions have been taken as yet.

Mr Jenkins said that some of the money held in reserves will be used to help fund capital projects. Referring to the savings proposals next year and beyond, he said: “This mediumterm financial plan will form the basis of our budget consultation over the coming months.

“This will ensure that essential services can still be delivered whilst maintaining council tax at a reasonable level.”

Yesterday the Welsh Government announced more money for Welsh councils, meaning none of them would receive a reduction of 0.5% compared to the current year.

An additional £15m will go on teachers’ pay over two years, £2.3m to children’s services in 2019-20, and £6m for costs associated with Storm Callum.

Once again we have had a disappointing provisional settlement from the Welsh Government which leaves us in a very challenging position, with difficult choices to make between balancing the books and the needs of our communities Councillor David Jenkins