Caerphilly County Borough Council has had its funding cut by the Welsh Government for the next financial year.
The move, announced by Secretary of Finance and Local Government Mark Drakeford, was widely expected and will see Caerphilly receive £265.6 million from the Welsh Government for 2018/19.
This is a reduction of 1% on the current financial year funding of £268.3m.
Caerphilly County Borough Council’s leader Cllr Dave Poole said: “As I’ve said previously, over the past few years we’ve worked hard to protect frontline services, and thankfully to date we’ve not seen the type of deep cuts and service disruption that some other councils have experienced.
“However, we simply cannot continue to provide the same services with less money, and some difficult decisions will need to be considered over the coming months as we agree our budget for 2018/19.
“We remain committed to doing all we possibly can to minimise the impact upon our residents, but with decreasing budgets it is inevitable that our community is going to feel some effect from this extremely difficult financial situation.
“As part of the budget setting process, it is very important that members of the public have their say in helping us make the right decisions when delivering such challenging savings targets.
“Once our draft budget proposals for 2018/19 have been presented to cabinet in November, we’ll be consulting widely with our residents and other stakeholders and I’d encourage as many people as possible to get involved in this process and ensure their voice is heard.”
The funding cut to Caerphilly Council was announced after the Welsh Government unveiled details of its budget for next year.
The £15.3bn budget is a result of a deal between Labour, which is in power with a minority government, Plaid Cymru.
It is a significant departure from previous years as, for the first time, around £2.4bn of revenue will come from two devolved taxes rather than all of the money coming from the UK Government.
House buyers will no longer pay stamp duty, but will instead have to pay land transaction tax.
House sales of £150,000 and lower will be tax free – £25,000 more than it is now – but homes worth £400,000 and up to £750,000 will face a 7.5% rate. Those over £750,000 face a 10% charge.
Also from April, landfill tax is coming under the control of the Welsh Government and will become landfill disposals tax. Under powers devolved to Wales, people caught dumping unauthorised waste could face paying 150% of the standard rate.
The NHS accounts for around half of the Welsh budget and it will see an increase in spending of around 1% in real terms. In 2018/19 it will get an extra £230m while in 2019/20 it will get a further £220m.
Most other Welsh Government departments are facing cuts such as education (down 2.37%); environment and rural affairs (-15.27%).
The Welsh Government also announced plans to borrow around £375m for capital projects over the next three years – the first time it has been allowed to borrow cash.
More cuts imposed by the welsh talking shop and no doubt a rise in council tax to cover these short falls. Cllr Poole says he will consult residents on what we want as caerphilly residents, yet the council have already made a draft budget. Surely this means that the budget has been set and no matter what people say its already been decided. This is a smoke and mirrors trick by the council to fool people into thinking they have a say.
There is so many services within the council that need a cut in budget. Others need an increase. The police need a rise in budget while cpo’s and co
Perhaps they will finally stop paying councillors that have been suspended.
Correct or pay them money I think we pay them to much 150k a year.
I think you mean ‘council officers’ here, I am not aware of any councillors currently suspended. If you do mean the senior officers I heartily agree.
Yes I am talking about senior councillors. in any other organization they would have been sacked by the share holder’s . and not been suspended with full pay which to me seems like total madness . when local residents face council rates increase .and cuts to local services. It is time for this to stop and stop now.
Three senior officers, not councillors, were suspended and are currently on paid leave. I do not agree with this and have posted comment many times.
. A council officer is an employee, he is not elected and is not a councillor. Councillors are usually paid around £13,300 per annum. I am not aware of any councillors, at all, being suspended currently.
Just need to ask.
Being that you know a lot about senior officers or councillors in CBC.
What happened to the 20 other top bosses that received similarly outsized increases.???
They are still costing us loads of money in salaries, the senior officers that is. They are still not councillors though.
Yes the 3 of them are.
But what about the 17 senior management who had a massive pay still working at CCBC.?????
I suggest you actually try to understand that there is a world of difference between ‘councillor’ and ‘council officer.’ Until you do your points do not make any sense whatsoever. I repeat there are no councillors who have received massive salary increases and there were no suspensions of councillors arising from this. If you think you know different then name the councillors involved.
Ok
Let’s ask it a different way 20 high department manager’s working within Caerphilly council who along with Mr O’Sullivan who had massive pay rise where are thay.
Your just avoiding the question.
And yes councillors are paid a generous wage along with a generous expenses package.
What question are you asking Jack and why should I avoid it? I am nothing to do with the council and have said and written many times that senior officer pay is a scandal.
Councillors are mainly paid £13,300 (2016 rate) a few get over £20,000 and the leader about £45,000. You may think that this level of pay is too high, that is fine, everyone has opinions. Personally I do not care about councillor’s salaries and expenses, just a drop in the ocean, but I do believe senior officer pay is way to high. I have been posting in the Observer for years on this scandal and have been consistent throughout.
Lol avoiding the question.
But just and try and twist the question.
What is the question you want answered?
So 3 are suspended on full pay Yes.
What about the 20 managers who had pay raise with them.
All thay still working at CCBC.???
this is what I’m asking.where are thay.????
The three officers you mentioned are no longer suspended but on indefinite leave on vast salaries paid for by you and I. The other senior officers who recived handsome pay rises are in work and are also funded by you and I. The entire council tax I will pay in my lifetime, and the lifetime council tax of many others, has been wasted in this fashion. I have already said this, look back four posts.
It is absolutely scandalous and had I been in charge I would have dismissed several council officers for gross misconduct. But I’m not in charge so this continues and has run into £ Millions being wasted.
I hope this answer is clear, if not I don’t know any other way of answering.
Absolutely and thankyou all I wanted to know.
And I absolutely agree with you
I agree with you and hopfully they will stop funding departments that no longer have a purpose anymore. How can we continue to fund these departments, the council wardens are one such department that needs to be cut.
It will be interesting how they use the smoke and mirrors trick – they are faced with cuts to services / jobs but at the same time proposing an increase in council tax – which will mean many very unhappy residents.
The vast majority of Caerphilly residents will be over joyed with this news as it’s only what they voted for, cuts to services, ever rising council tax, as well as covering Caerphilly with housing estates and continuing to pay three suspended officers huge sums of money. Can somebody please explain to me why anybody in their right mind would vote for this criminal financial mismanagement of taxpayers money – they’re surely still not falling for Carwyn’s same old tired excuse – “it’s Westminster’s fault for cutting our budget”.
In the private sector many businesses use “mystery shoppers” to check that businesses operate properly within company guidelines;adhere to legislation and provide excellent customer service – isn’t it about time this approach was used in the public sector ?
I’m afraid caerphilly council would fail miserably
This is the almighty Caerphilly Council, they make up their own legislation. If profits were falling in a private business reductions in work force would have to be made, in the bloated public sector they give themselves a pay rise, cut services and shuffle well paid employees across into another already overstaffed department.