The council has published its draft plans to spend its £216 million budget for 2025-26.

Monmouthshire will receive an increase in its funding of 2.8 per cent (an additional £5.1m after adjustments) from Welsh Government - 62 per cent of its total budget -, but is still the lowest of any council in Wales.

A £2.86 million gap remains in the budget between the money the council has and what it needs to spend.

The council has a statutory duty to pass a balanced budget so this gap will need to be bridged by additional income, a bigger council tax increase, further cuts to services or all three.

Proposals include: Council tax to rise by 7.8%; Car parking charges up by 10% to raise £180,000; Close Old Station, Tintern, Planning fees to rise by 25% to raise £100,000; Home to school transport cuts of £447,000 by increasing the eligibility thresholds; Reduction to utility costs £720,000; Save £557,000 by reducing the use of B&Bs for homelessness; Cuts to the opening hours of community hubs to save £110,000; Move children with Additional Learning Needs currently educated outside of Monmouthshire in maintained and independent specialist placements to MCC provision saving £100,000; Rural youth clubs cut by £40,000; Leisure income to rise by £150,000 (presumably through price rises); Save £50,000 at Abergavenny’s Borough Theatre by ‘service redesign’; Scrap the council’s cyber security insurance to save £98,000; Borrowing costs to rise by 14 per cent; Social care fees to rise by £366,000; All pay and pension costs in schools to be met in full; £1.4million additional borrowing to spend on ‘highways and structures’.

In a commitment to enhancing frontline services, Social Care and Health funding is set to rise by 10.6 per cent, while Education funding will increase by 10.7 per cent.

Monmouthshire County Council Leader, Cllr Mary Ann Brocklesby, stated, "Our residents expect and deserve a balanced budget for 2025/26, and we are working across the organisation to achieve this. The budget we publish protects the key services our residents need, focusing on protecting the most vulnerable members of our community.

“We also need to consider other proposals to provide the best services possible to our residents."

Beginning on 23 January 2025, residents will have the opportunity to provide feedback to the council on the draft budget. This feedback is essential in the budget-setting process, ensuring that the council prioritises the most valuable services for the community.

Cabinet Member for Resources, Cllr Ben Callard, said: "Open and robust scrutiny and challenge is an essential part of the budget setting process and something we place great importance on as your Cabinet representatives. Your views are vital to the budget setting process. These proposals are not set in stone, and your feedback will help us ensure a fair budget while protecting core services."

To view the proposals, please visit the website for Monmouthshire County Council.