Caerphilly County Borough Council put up council tax by 4.52% after it agreed its budget for 2018/19 at a full council meeting on Thursday, February 22.
The 4.52% increase will see the Band D precept rise from £1,011.96 to £1,057.70.
The council is making cuts in excess of £7.2 million next year and the authority’s cabinet agreed a list of draft saving proposals which were subject to a period of consultation.
These savings formed part of a detailed budget report considered at the special council meeting, where the final budget was approved.
Deputy council leader Cllr Barbara Jones told the meeting: “None of us want to see any increase in council tax, but unfortunately we are in a very difficult position where we have to choose between agreeing a reasonable increase in council tax or find even more savings to add to the list.”
The budget included an additional £3 million for social services to help meet increasing demand, particularly within children’s services where significant financial pressures are being experienced on placement budgets.
The council recommended that £547,000 be transferred to help schools meet anticipated additional costs arising from the teacher’s pay award next year.
The authority is faced with making savings in excess of £40 million over the next five years.
“We are all acutely aware that many difficult and unpopular decisions are yet to come, but we must rise to the challenge and do all we can to protect our services, protect our communities and meet the needs of our residents,” added Cllr Jones.
Plaid Cymru group leader councillor Colin Mann failed in his attempt to amend the budget to reduce the council tax rise to an inflation equalling 3% by using £1m of council reserves.
Around £5.5m has been put into the capital reserve fund, in spite of the fact that the capital programme is never fully spent.
“I am calling on Labour to make this cut. They say they are not happy with their proposals. They now need to prove it.
“Council tax bills are a huge demand on everyone’s household bill. We must bear in mind that we have so many people who are really struggling. Remember the ever-increasing number of people – many of them working – who rely on food banks.”
Cllr Mann also said the budget report includes a 4.52% council tax increase each year until 2023.
The council confirmed to Caerphilly Observer that the 4.52% increase was only agreed for the 2018/19 period and that the report referred to by Cllr Mann used the figure for illustrative purposes for future years.
Council leader Dave Poole told the special meeting that consultation had been a key part of the budget process and the council listened closely to the views of local people.
Cllr Poole said: “We have listened to our residents and have made a number of adjustments to our plans which reflect the feedback received.
“We are working hard to protect frontline services and the public have a key role to play in helping us shape the way we deliver these services in the future.”
The council also agreed that the deferred cuts of £500,000, including the decision to save the Pontllanfraith Leisure Centre, would need to be revisited this summer.
Caerphilly council tax rise 2017 – 1% , Caerphilly council tax rise 2018 – 4.52%. Is this down to financial mismanagement or drastic cuts to the budget? No it’s down to the fact that 2017 was a local election year and so the 1% was an election sweetener with the local Labour led council knowing full well that council tax would have to rise significantly in 2018 to pay for the 2017 bribe. Well done to all those who fell for this old trick, you have no right whatsoever to complain about this disgraceful rise in council tax as you voted for it, perhaps next time the elections come around you’ll think before casting your vote……….oh no sorry how silly of me, those that voted for the current administration will have forgotten all about this vicious rise in council tax by the end of the week.
Hear hear Paul, totally agree.
I agree, the trouble is I have no confidence that the official opposition would have done any better. We need a drastic change but people vote on tribal lines. I believe there is a lot of waste and that bills could be reduced if the coucil eas properly managed. I would stop hiring consultants for a start and then look at senior officer pay rates.
I think you are right – I think both locally and nationally this is a problem – there is no credible opposition that would instill any public confidence.
As for the council being properly managed see my reply to Paul.
I totally agree with all your comments – but I don’t think we will ever change voters minds or educate them,either at a local or national level.
Local voters have the same mentality as national voters who believe that Corbyn can deliver all his wild promises of nationalising public industries and services etc.but he can’t explain how this would be paid for.
Like this local issue they would be paid for by increases in debt financed by the taxpayers.
I am in agreement with Richard that better management of caerphilly council would have reduced this council tax increase……..there are many departments that the council do not have a legal duty to provide and big savings could be made if these services were dispensed with and more savings could be made if they stopped wasting money on gimmicks and hair brained schemes .
One other point – this increase will of course have no effect on those scroungers in the Borough who make no contribution to society
Voters will have to change their misguided allegiance, this level of council tax increase is financially crippling to the majority of us, it is the biggest bill that households face every month and bigger than many peoples mortgage. They hike up council tax and in the next breath they’re telling us that more people than ever are having to rely on food banks.
Corbyn and his left wing loonies are rich people trying to convince poor people to vote for the rich people by telling the poor people that’s it’s other rich people that are the reason they are poor.
That sums it up, the leadership of the Labour party are very wealthy people, often from what are called priviliged backgrounds. They no longer speak for me or those like me – the ones that left school at sixteen and have worked ever since. No perks, no expenses, just work for the little you can get.
All good points below and I agree with them. Our council seem to be a law on to themselves, full of false promises. The managers they have there couldn’t manage the proverbial in a brewery. Once again a few people saw this coming, but the disillusional labour voter didn’t.
This makes sense.
Got to pay for the low inactive police force gwent.
And the high unapproved pay raise to our council chef executives who just right thay own pay increase.
Mmmmm and our lazy local councillors.