A COMMUNITY council in Rhondda Cynon Taf has been criticised for increasing its council tax take by nearly 20% during the cost of living crisis.

Local resident and Plaid Cymru activist Ioan Bellin has hit out at the 19.8% increase in the Llantwit Fardre Community Council precept for 2022-23 which was approved recently.

He said the changes mean rate payers will see an increase in their bills from £38.76 to £46.27 a month for a band D property.

Mr Bellin recently asked a question at a council meeting as to how councillors justify increasing the precept by over 19% when household budgets are feeling the cost-of-living squeeze.

He said:

“It was surprising last month that Labour and Conservative councillors came together to push this tax hike through.

“Really when it comes to Llantwit Fardre Council, they are two sides of the same coin.

“Labour in Westminster talk a lot about the cost of living crisis and are rightly critical of Boris Johnson’s government but this rise in the precept will hardly help people face this issue.

“The Conservative councillor and MS Joel James who also sits on Rhondda Cynon Taf Council complained last year about Rhondda Cynon Council agreeing to a 2.65% rise in council tax – yet this precept hike is almost 10 times the one that he voted against last year. Like his Tory bosses in 10 Downing Street, they say one thing and do another.”

The community council precept makes a proportion of council tax bill which is divided between the county council, the police and crime commissioner and the community council.

Church Village resident Emma Thompson added:

“We all know that councils have been under financial strain during the coronavirus pandemic but this rise does seem excessive.

“Many residents are going through tough times already, you would think that councillors would not add to people’s financial pressures.”

But Cllr James of the Conservative group on the council said:

“I must admit, I am somewhat disappointed by Plaid Cymru, with regards to this.

“No one likes to see community charges increase, but Llantwit Fardre Community Council has not raised its precept for six years, and last year, the community council even managed to deliver a 0.2% decrease.

“As a community council, we held off for as long as we could, and cut our cloth accordingly – trying not to add to the burden our residents were already under because of the Covid pandemic.