MONMOUTHSHIRE has come bottom of the funding pile for local government in Wales with its leader calling for ministers in Cardiff to find it additional cash.
The Welsh Government announced its proposed budget this week with the amount it has to spend having grown by more than £1 billion following the boost to public spending from the UK Government’s October budget.
Funding for local authorities is increasing by 4.3 per cent, compared to last year, which equals an extra £253m to spread across all 22 local authorities in Wales and following allocation of the settlements Monmouthshire will receive the smallest percentage increase of just 2.8 per cent.
The council’s leader Mary Ann Brocklesby said: “I am pressing for a larger increase. I believe all local authorities in Wales should receive at least a 3.5 per cent increase, and I will argue the case for Monmouthshire with the Welsh Government.”
That would require Labour ministers in Cardiff Bay to find additional cash for four other councils and the Welsh Labour Government still needs the support of at least one opposition member to pass its final budget in March.
Newport Council has received the biggest percentage increase, at 5.6 per cent, followed by Cardiff at 5.3 per cent.
Other Gwent councils have also received above average increases including Blaenau Gwent getting a 4.8 per cent rise.
Welsh councils had collectively said they would require a seven per cent increase to maintain services at their current levels and will have to make up their shortfalls through cutting services and council tax increases.
Cllr Brocklesby has however welcomed the uplift in funding for local government, worth around £3.6m more for Monmouthshire; saying: “This additional funding announcement signals a positive move to start repairing our valued local government services after a number of difficult years.”
She said the council is preparing a “robust and fair budget that supports all Monmouthshire residents” which it will put forward for public consultation in January.
Cllr Ben Callard, added: “I recognise that our level of increased funding is below that of other local authorities. This is because the council has, over several decades, failed to provide affordable homes in the county. This will change under the current administration. When so many new homes in the county have been in the top council tax bands, we get less than the average grant from the Welsh Government.”
The council’s Conservative opposition leader Richard John said the settlement has failed to recognise the cost of delivering services in rural areas. The four other councils receiving below the 3.5 per cent rise, Monmouthshire’s leader has suggested should be the minimum floor, are Gwynedd, Flintshire, Powys and the Vale of Glamorgan.
Cllr John stated on X: “This is a terrible settlement for Monmouthshire. 2.8% while better funded urban councils are getting 5.6 per cent. This fails to recognise the additional costs of delivering services in rural areas. The council needs to work with others to lobby for a funding floor”.