CARMARTHENSHIRE County Council has approved its budgets for 2022-23, which includes a modest council tax increase to support the delivery of essential frontline services and significant investment in key regeneration projects.
Council Tax will increase by 2.5 percent – roughly 66p a week more for the average band D household, or £34.07 a year.
Council Tax contributes around a quarter of the county council’s annual revenue budget which is spent on providing services to residents and businesses in Carmarthenshire.
The biggest share of Council Tax contributions goes towards education and children’s services, followed by housing and adult social care.
In 2022-23 the contributions will also help the council cope with inflationary pressures, including increasing energy bills and the rising cost of providing services such as school meals.
The capital budget will provide a £275million investment in projects which will include regeneration schemes, redevelopment of schools, leisure facility improvements and advanced waste and recycling schemes.
Cllr David Jenkins, Cabinet Member for Resources, said the budgets were set following careful consideration of feedback from the public which resulted in some saving proposals being removed and the Council Tax increase kept to a minimum in recognition of the rising cost of living.
“Through careful financial planning we have been able to set a balanced budget that will support the council to continue delivering vital services whilst also absorbing increasing inflationary pressures,” he said.
“This budget is not only sustainable, but ambitious, and will allow us to continue providing first-class services to the residents and businesses of Carmarthenshire.”
Cllr Emlyn Dole, Leader of the Council, said the council’s capital programme will support the authority’s plans to boost the economy, stimulate growth and create jobs as it recovers from the Covid-19 pandemic.
Capital funding has been allocated for a range of transformational projects, including a health, wellbeing and cultural services Hwb in Carmarthen; the completion of the Twyi Valley Path between Carmarthen and Llandeilo; and Zone 1 of the Pentre Awel health, wellbeing and research development in Llanelli.
Significant investment will be made to continue improving schools, disabled facilities, waste and recycling collections, leisure facilities and more.
The council has a legal responsibility to set a balanced budget every year, ensuring that income from sources such as Council Tax, revenue from paid-for services and grants is enough to cover planned expenditure, as well as having money in reserves to pay for unplanned expenses and emergencies.
For more information about the council’s budget, and a breakdown of how Council Tax contributions are spent, visit www.carmarthenshire.gov.wales
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