CUTS to Ceredigion County Council services are “still on the agenda” despite the authority expecting to receive a funding increase from the Welsh Government.

While the authority has been given a provisional funding settlement including a 0.8 per cent increase in central funding from the Welsh Government, council leader Ellen ap Gwynn warned that would not spare council services from cuts, with the council still facing having to make a range of savings.

The council will have to fund a range of service cost increases, as well as salary increases, with Cllr ap Gwynn saying it is expected, based on provisional figures, that the council is likely to have to find over £3.7m in savings despite the funding increase from the Welsh Government.

She said: “This year we’ve received some good news. They’ve reviewed the formulas that set the budget and have taken more notice of the need in rural areas.

“This means, at last, Ceredigion and Gwynedd are at the top of the table instead of at the bottom.

“This will mean for the first time in many years we’ll see a small increase, but that comes after £34m of cuts since 2012.

“We’ll still face a deficit of £3.7m. That means we’ll still have to make cuts. Not to the extent we feared, but cuts are still on the agenda I’m afraid.”

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