Caerphilly Council tax up 2.9% for 2010/11 as budget is agreed

Caerphilly County Borough Council has agreed a 2.9% increase on council tax for this coming financial year.

Councillors approved the rise at a meeting last night to discuss the local authority’s budget.

A budget report, presented to the council last night, highlighted the financial difficulties the council faces.

It stated that the council has to find savings of up to £25 million by March 2015 and that this year’s financial settlement from the Welsh Assembly Government will be “as good as it gets”.

Speaking at last night’s meeting, Councillor Colin Mann, deputy leader of council, said: “We have attempted to combine a council tax increase which is as low as possible with measures to address the financial austerity which is going to hit all of the public sector in the next few years.

“Although a little better than expected, this year’s Rate Support Settlement from WAG at 2.28% is the worst since the council’s first budget settlement following reorganization 15 years ago.

“Indeed, you will have read that there is a savings target of £25 million by 2015. Over the five years this is equivalent to a reduction of £147 for every man, woman and child in the borough. Even this huge sum may not be enough to balance the books.

“Could I stress that this situation has been brought about by the prospect of severe reductions in Rate Support Grant, a symptom of the financial crisis which we are all now very familiar with.

“All authorities are facing the same pressures and many are in a worse position than Caerphilly as will be evidenced by the string of job reductions announced by other councils recently.”

Cllr Mann also outlined a £5 million spend in education in the coming year with £1 million on a new primary school at Cwm Ifor, in Penyrhoel, and £900k to improve and modernise school kitchens.

Total council tax charges for financial year 2010/2011