03/28/2024

Wales News Online

Local & National News for Wales

Monmouthshire Council budget reaffirms commitment to protecting key services

MONMOUTHSHIRE County Council has set a budget for the forthcoming financial year.  prioritising its spending on issues that will help people live their lives in the way they choose.

Protecting services for the most vulnerable, ensure schools are well placed to support their learners as they return to school and that the increasing demand in adult social care and children’s services can be met.

Following feedback from residents on initial proposals published on 20th January 2021, gathered over the full consultation period, the council has amended its proposals and those have been confirmed today.

Councillor Phil Murphy, Cabinet Member for Resources said:

“I would like to thank every resident who has shared their feedback with us. We have listened to you. The subsequent changes to the budget are based on what you’ve told us matters to you. In particular, concerns that the proposed 4.95% rise in council tax could impact upon those most financially disadvantaged by the COVID-19 pandemic and by the lockdown periods that have accompanied it. As a result, I can confirm that the coming year’s council tax increase will reduce to 3.89%. Our approach continues to be to change, improve and adapt our services rather than to close them down. This budget shows ambition for the county in the face of the most challenging of times.”

Some of the major investments agreed by the council are:

To increase investment into flood alleviation schemes over the next year and the medium term; the creation of a £1m capital funding to support grant applications that require a council contribution, most notably in relation to significant Active Travel bids that have recently submitted to the Welsh Government; spend an additional £0.8 million on highways maintenance schemes; continue work on a new 3-18 school in Abergavenny; deliver a replacement for Severn View residential home; push on with feasibility works on new transport infrastructure in and around Chepstow and continue with plans to regenerate the centre of Caldicot.

Councillor Murphy continued:

“A range of service changes and cost reductions have already taken place in the current financial year, including the closure of Mounton House School, albeit with the services being continued elsewhere, the closure of Usk Household Waste and Recycling Centre and an increase in charges for garden waste collection.”

Monmouthshire County Council Leader, Peter Fox said:

“The final settlement from the Welsh Government is better than we initially feared, but does not fully compensate for the significant service pressures the council is continuing to face. The medium-term outlook is uncertain and we look to Welsh Government to continue to provide specific financial support to meet extraordinary costs associated with responding to the COVID pandemic and extending this support towards supporting and building fairer communities and businesses. Local government has a vital role to play in this effort and Monmouthshire County Council will rise to this challenge.

“Once again we are in the position of being the lowest funded council in Wales by a country mile. The current Welsh system of sharing out money is just unfair and discriminates against Monmouthshire residents. We continue to deliver some of the best services in Wales but are having to deliver them on a shoestring. This is not a sustainable way forward for rural, geographically large counties like ours and we will not give up on our call for Wales Government to review how they share out the money.

“Significant uncertainties remain and we call on Welsh Government to provide clarity on our funding going forward into 2022/23 and beyond. Local government should not be seen as the poor partner in the wider public sector family. It plays a vital role alongside the NHS in Wales, keeping people safe through these most testing of times. We ask nothing more than this to be recognised,” said Cllr. Fox.

 

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