A BETTER than expected funding award from the Welsh Government has led to a proposed council tax rise being reduced.
Torfaen Borough Council also plans to use the additional funding to invest in services supporting young people impacted by domestic violence, taking on apprentices to learn the ropes in local government, supporting youngsters who aren’t in education or training and extra funding to help schools support pupils with Additional Learning Needs.
The council had already said the Welsh Government’s budget, agreed following a deal between Labour ministers and the Plaid Cymru opposition, meant a feared £2.5 million shortfall had been reversed to give it a £2.5m surplus to spend from April.
Head of financial services Robert Green said the Senedd budget deal has seen the overall average like-for-like uplift for Welsh local government increase by 4.5 per cent but Torfaen would see a higher than average increase.
“For Torfaen, it is an uplift of 4.7 per cent which equals £9.3m in cash terms which is considerably more than anticipated,” Mr Green told the council’s resources scrutiny committee.
As a result the cabinet is now basing its financial planning for the 2026/27 financial year, that begins in April, on a 3.95 per cent council tax rise, which it will put before the full council for approval, rather than the 4.95 per cent figure it had been using.
‘Lowest rise for four years’
The council’s Labour leader Anthony Hunt told the committee: “It is now the fourth lowest council tax in Wales and we’ve had the lowest rise for four years.”
The Panteg councillor said the council was lowering its proposed increase in a “sustainable way” and said: “It is reducing the burden people have with costs rising all over the place from energy bills and all sorts of things like insurance.”
Full details on council tax charges households will pay will be published by the council later in February.
It had already been agreed to use £1.5m towards “de-risking” the upcoming budget by ensuring savings it couldn’t easily identify as “cashable” are covered, a review of pay at the lower end of the council wage bill and increasing the allowance it holds for nationally agreed pay awards.
Along with investment in the existing domestic violence project, funded through the UK Government, it’s proposed to spend £200,000 on a new family conflict service. If the service is successful it could pay for itself through reducing demand on social services.
The apprentice scheme aims to take on 12 school leavers from “economically challenged parts of the borough” and under-represented groups, such as care leavers, and give them a taste of working across different council departments.
The number of officers supporting young people who aren’t in education or training would also be increased and £340,000 is being provided for pupils with Additional Learning Needs.
The council’s ruling Labour cabinet is due to consider its final budget proposals on Tuesday, February 24 before putting them to the full council for approval a week later.