The rise in council tax in Ceredigion could be more than first thought, with a seven per cent increase potentially on the table.

Council leader Cllr Ellen ap Gwynn indicated at Cabinet on Tuesday, 22 January, that councillors may like to consider upping the proposed rise to seven per cent, raising an extra half million pounds.

Councillors were discussing the draft budget for 2019/20, which includes a proposed rise of five per cent in council tax. This would raise around £2m.

Corporate lead officer for finance and procurement Stephen Johnson told the meeting that the difference would take a Band D property to £1,287.80 with a five per cent rise, or £1,312.33 at seven per cent.

Cllr ap Gwynn criticised Welsh and Central Government’s handling of “consequential” and distribution of funds for local authorities, particularly in reference to pay increases for teachers and the associated pension costs.

“We are still in a very difficult situation, that’s the political message. There’s discontent among leaders of the authorities in Wales because we all feel that local government has been let down by London and the Welsh Government,” she added.

Ceredigion’s revenue allocation from Welsh Government for 2019/20 is £102,091,000, which is an increase of 0.3 per cent.

A report to Cabinet adds that this is a decrease in real terms “after including expenditure increases.”­

Council tax in Ceredigion is slightly above the Welsh average, the report states, at £1,226 for a Band D property, but when combined with police and community charges is slight less councillors were told.

Cllr ap Gwynn told Cabinet she would not ask them to accept five per cent at its meeting but wait for reports from a scrutiny committee.

“We need to recognise that there’s a gap here between what we received and also the demands,” she said. “We really have to go to the root of our services and see what are the best ways and most efficient ways of working.”

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