06 March 2008
Council tax increases in Wales will average at 3.8% this year.
WLGA Finance Spokesperson Cllr Bill Langsford (Newport) said:
“This increase is the result of councils working vigorously to strike the right balance between protecting public services and keeping council tax increases as low as possible. Councils are facing some of the most difficult budgetary pressures to date, added to by this year’s poor Assembly Government settlement.”
“Councillors are at the heart of their communities and understand their problems. In the current economic climate it is vital to cushion the burden of soaring living costs, rapidly increasing fuel costs, property and household bills and therefore not right for the people of Wales to pay the price for national budgetary decisions. Today, the WLGA highlights the results of a survey undertaken of the 22 local authority improvement plans which shows that local government in Wales has produced £94m in efficiency savings during 2007, proving that local government is the most committed part of the Welsh public service for delivering better outcomes for local people.”
“The implications of this year’s budget could have easily been sharp council tax increases and massive cuts to vital frontline services. Commendably local authorities have tried to limit these despite huge budget shortfalls across councils, but not with success in all areas.”
“Whilst some local authorities have made some voluntary redundancies to meet increasing pressures, protecting front line services has been the priority. Again at this early stage we call on the Welsh Assembly Government to rethink its budget assumptions over the next 3 years and place real emphasis on closing the funding gap between schools in Wales and England and prioritise our social services. Yesterday’s Living in Wales Survey, compiled on behalf of the Assembly Government confirmed that public service delivery in Wales already sees up to 90% of people satisfied with their local council services. It is these same services that the Assembly Government needs to focus on in the future. We note in Scotland that the Executive has provided extra money this year to pin council tax levels back to last years figures.”
“There is again this year extra support for pensioners and people on low incomes. We encourage people to get in touch with their councils early to ensure that they claim all of the benefits to which they are entitled.”
“People often don’t realise also that a large proportion of their council tax pays for the police and fire and rescue services who do an invaluable job in protecting and safeguarding local communities.”
Notes for Editors
Local authorities are facing a range of growing pressures, including waste management targets, Equal Pay and rapidly increasing social care costs.
Councils are also far exceeding the Assembly Government’s efficiency targets, meaning better services for local communities. Local authorities have embraced the collaborative agenda more than any other of the Welsh public sector and are increasingly working together regionally to plan and deliver services, sharing expertise, capacity and economies of scale to realise savings and improved public services.
Band D average Council Tax bill
(County or County Borough Council element only)
2007-08 Increase- 829.00
2008-2009 increase- £860.50
Overall Average Increase 3.80%
For more information contact: Natasha Weeks