Council tax in Ceredigion should rise by an additional two per cent on top of the estimated rise to five per cent to protect schools from cuts, leader Ellen ap Gwynn has said.

The council had set a budget based on a five per cent council tax increase.

But detailed figures showed that would still leave the council with a gap and would force schools to make further cuts following the Westminster Government’s announcement of a pay rise for teachers.

Cllr ap Gwynn said that decision, which had not come with any additional funding, would leave schools having to make cuts to meet increased pension payments.

That prompted councillors on scrutiny committees and the council’s Cabinet to recommend that a seven per cent rise should be imposed instead, with the additional two per cent being earmarked for schools.

A final decision will now be made by a meeting of the full council on Thursday, 21 February.

Cllr ap Gwynn said: “Our schools are under great pressure and they’ve had cutbacks, they’ve had to deal with staff being made redundant and we’ve had complaints that the choice of subject available is not as wide as it was.

“The situation is dire in Wales as a whole. It’s a difficult situation.

“If you go for the five per cent, our schools will suffer, but if you go for the seven per cent that will give to schools an extra £650,000.

“This will not be an increase in their budget, it’ll just mean funding the schools at the same level.”

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