Home » Conwy’s leader warns of schools’ financial predicament ahead of budget

Conwy’s leader warns of schools’ financial predicament ahead of budget

Conwy Council's Coed Pella offices (Pic: Daily Post, David Powell)

CONWY’S leader has warned schools need to be protected before setting the budget for 2025/26.

At a cabinet meeting this week, leader Cllr Charlie McCoubrey called the situation “critical” whilst attempting to balance the books when setting the budget for the next financial year.

Councillors must set the budget in February, having been given a provisional 3.6% rise in its local government settlement, an improvement on last year when the authority received just 2%, the joint lowest in Wales.

The council cut education budgets by 5% for the last two years, leading to staff redundancies at several Conwy schools, a situation which could be repeated in 2025.

Councillors heard how council tax may need to rise by 10% for the third year running, having been raised by 9.6 and 9.9 percent in the last two previous budgets.

Cllr McCoubrey warned: “We really need to consider the position our schools are in. We know it’s been incredibly difficult. An awful lot of us are governors at one or more schools, and we know it is really difficult for schools.

“We are seeing increased demand in our young people. So that remains a real concern about funding that adequately.

“A 1% reduction in the school budget equates to £795,000, a 1% increase in council tax, so there is a real trade-off there.”

He added: “Every 1% that we want to protect schools with really equates to additional 1% of council tax. So it is clear once again we are going to face some really difficult decisions, members.”

The budget will be finalised in February.

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