Caerphilly Observer
Member Sign in Manage Membership
Become a Member - no ads
Menu
  • News
    • Senedd
    • Business
    • Newport
    • Opinion
  • Sport
    • Rugby union
    • Football
  • Membership & Subscriptions
  • Notices
  • Obituaries
  • About
    • Advertise
  • Sponsored Content
Menu

Council ‘borrowing heavily’ to fund school rebuilding programme

Newport | Rhys Williams | Published: 14:37, Friday July 18th, 2025.

Support quality, independent, local journalism…that matters

From just £1 a month you can help fund our work – and use our website without adverts. Become a member today

Newport Civic Centre

Newport City Council is “borrowing heavily” to fund school improvements, its leader has said.

Cllr Dimitri Batrouni told colleagues the local authority’s total borrowing increased by £31.3 million in the last financial year.

The figure, which this April stood at £168.4 million, is “above the council’s operational boundary”, councillors heard at a meeting this week.

However, that limit is “a management tool for in-year monitoring”, said Cllr Batrouni, who added it was “not significant if the operational boundary is breached on occasion due to variations in cash flow, and this is not counted as a compliance failure”.

“In layman’s terms, we’re borrowing heavily on our school rebuilding programme,” the leader explained. “Our schools need huge amounts of investment. It’s the right thing to borrow.”

City has ‘lost out’ over university investment ‘broken promises’

He added the council would “need to manage that carefully, given interest rates”, but said he hoped the Bank of England would “follow through” on indications lower rates were on the horizon.

“Our outlook for the next few years is a further need to borrow as our capital programme is delivered and our reserves are used over time,” said Cllr Batrouni.

“Officers will continue to monitor interest rates closely to ensure we always get the best interest rates for any new borrowing, and liaising with our external treasury advisers,” he added.


Sign-up to our daily newsletter


Support quality, independent, local journalism…that matters

From just £1 a month you can help fund our work – and use our website without adverts.

Become a member today

LDRS

Latest News

  • Staff sacked at care home after concerns raised over resident’s careThursday, October 30, 2025
  • Caerphilly MP Chris Evans speaking in the UK Parliament
    Caerphilly MP defends Ukrainian community in parliamentThursday, October 30, 2025
  • A host of Christmas events will be held across the borough this festive season
    Dates confirmed for this year’s Christmas markets and lights switch-onThursday, October 30, 2025
  • Plans for the redevelopment of Howells department store in Cardiff city centre show that it will include an 11 storey tower block near historic buildings
    Plans for new city centre development could include big tower blockThursday, October 30, 2025
  • Jeremy Miles, cabinet secretary for economy, energy, and Welsh language
    Bowel cancer detection rates double after screening age loweredThursday, October 30, 2025
  • ‘Unprecedented tactical voting’ played key role in by-election result, says former Caerphilly MPWednesday, October 29, 2025

Find out how the communities of Caerphilly County Borough get their names

Caerphilly

Legal & Public Notices

  • Caerphilly County Borough Council public noticesThursday, October 30, 2025
  • Notice of application for a premises licence: Ffos CaerffiliThursday, October 23, 2025
  • Notice of application for a variation of a premises licence: Pontygwindy Industrial EstateWednesday, October 22, 2025
  • Caerphilly County Borough Council public noticesThursday, October 16, 2025
© 2009-2024 Caerphilly Media Ltd, Caerphilly Miners Centre for the Community Watford Road Caerphilly, CF83 1BJ. Incorporated in Wales No. 07604006.