ONE of Ceredigion’s four household waste sites could close as part of a long list of cost-saving measures backed as the county council set its budget today, February 29.
In a document before Ceredigion County Council’s meeting of February 29, where councillors narrowly backed the budget including a 11.1 per cent council tax rise, it was proposed a review of opening hours, and the potential closure of one site be undertaken, for an expected cost saving of £100,000.
The four sites in county are: Aberystwyth (Glanyrafon), Lampeter, Llanarth (Rhydeinon), and Cardigan (Cilmaenllwyd).
An integrated impact assessment for members said: “Ceredigion’s current provision is unsustainable and unaffordable moving forward and is evidenced by national studies which show that Ceredigion has a higher proportion of HWS per 10,000 population that all other councils in Wales.”
The proposal was one of 70 cost-cutting measures accompanying the proposed budget for 2024-’25, described as “Ceredigion County Council’s starkest budget yet,” with “incredibly difficult and unpalatable budget choices”.
A report for members ahead of the budget meeting said: “The estimated revenue cost pressures being faced by the council for 24/25 total £18m, equivalent to a Ceredigion-specific inflation factor of 10 per cent. This compares with general inflation running at four per cent.
“A budget shortfall of £14m has needed to be found from a combination of budget reductions and council tax increase considerations.
“Councillors have therefore had to face incredibly difficult and unpalatable budget choices as part of weighing up how and where to reduce the cost of council services, alongside considering the appropriate level of funding to be raised through council tax.”
The actual waste recycling centre under potential threat is not yet known, despite a call for it to be named at the February 29 meeting.
