FINAL decisions on Ceredigion County Council’s budget cut proposals will be taken next week.

All services face a one per cent cut to revenue budgets totalling more than £1 million, with the leadership group corporate revenue budget making the rest of the £2m in savings required.

A council tax rise of 3.5 per cent is proposed and is predicted to raise around £45m towards the planned expenditure of £158m, along with £110m from Welsh Government, with Ceredigion receiving the lowest percentage increase across Wales.

Feedback from last week’s meetings to scrutinise the budget plans were presented to senior councillors yesterday (Tuesday), before final decisions are taken by full council on 3 March.

Ceredigion’s scrutiny committees each examined the proposed cuts to services within their remit at meetings on February 18 and 19, with two suggested amendments put to Cabinet yesterday.

One suggestion - that dog breeding fees all be raised by six per cent - was not accepted by Cabinet, with officer advice that statutory fee increases were based on national acceptable levels, while another amendment to parking charges in one Aberaeron car park resulted in a “compromise".

At thriving communities Cllr Elizabeth Evans asked that Regent Street car park be treated as a “feeder” car park for the town centre and that a lower two-hourly rate be imposed that the proposed increase to £2, with an increase to its day rate to make up the difference.

At Cabinet, Cllr Dafydd Edwards said that following discussions with officers, a rate of £1.80 for two hours and a day rate of £3.60 would be acceptable, with Cllr Evans saying she was happy to accept this “compromise”.

It was also agreed that if additional money was announced by the Welsh Government when it confirms local authority settlements on 3 March, discussions would be had about where it would be best used before it was offset against corporate revenue budget cuts.

The cost reduction targets approved include £34,000 from Porth Cymorth, £216,000 form Porth Cynnar, £104,000 from Porth Gofal (including housing), £21,000 from policy, performance and public protection, and £493,000 from the schools and culture service – including £210,000 direct from schools.

Also proposed is £24,000 cut from Porth Cymorth, £166,000 from highways and environmental, £34,000 from economy and regeneration, £57,000 from democratic services, £31,000 from economy and regeneration, £34,000 from finance and procurement, £51,000 from legal and governance, and £15,000 from the people and organisation service.