WREXHAM Council will get a 3.2% increase in funding by the Welsh Government for 2024/25.
On Wednesday (December 20) Welsh Government announced the provisional budget settlement and said that core revenue funding for local government will increase by 3.1%, with no local authority receiving less than a 2% increase.
The settlement, according to Welsh Government, reflects their commitment to protect services used every day, and there had been some “difficult decisions” to radically redesign spending plans to focus funding on such services.
Cllr Mark Pritchard, leader of Wrexham Council and Welsh Local Government Association (WLGA) Independent group leader said: “For a long time, councils have warned of the enormous pressures that they face after so many years of reduced funding.
“Unfortunately, (yesterday’s) settlement does not provide enough funding to meet the severe cost and demand pressures which present serious challenges next year for setting balanced budgets, as is required by law.
“Whilst on the surface there appears to be a 3.1% boost in core funding, significant cuts to grants – with no extra money to cover the teachers’ pay increase – means that councils will receive far less than the suggested increase.
“Dipping into ‘rainy day’ council reserves is not a solution to plug ever growing gaps which will reappear year after year. The only answer to meeting soaring costs and rocketing demand on services is to fully recognise and meet the funding pressures for local government.”
A 6-week consultation on the provisional settlement has opened, which will end on January 31, 2024.
