Finance chief looking for budget support
By Elgan Hearn, Local Democracy Reporter
The Local Democracy Reporting Service is saying that behind the scenes councillors are unhappy that they face explaining to their electorate another eye-watering rise in the Council Tax, with residents seeing less services.
Budget Seminars with councillors from all groups attending are now being held to explain the proposals and why cuts need to be made but some councillors are suggesting we could be hit with a hike of as much as 12%.
This is because £14 million needs to be found for 2019/20 year and £41 million over the next three years.
Finance portfolio holder and Conservative group leader, Cllr Aled Davies, who represents Llanrhaeadr-ym-Mochnant / Llansilin, said: “I am confident that members of both parts of the ruling group will support a rise of council tax to help services.
“There has been discussion by all sides at budget seminars when questions have been asked. But this is part of the budget setting process.
“No decision has been made yet and I’m sure members will make their feelings known when we discuss the budget at full council at the end of January.”
Former Conservative and now non-aligned County Councillor Gary Price, who represents Llandrindod Wells North, says he has great concern about the openness around the budget debate.
Cllr Price said: “I asked if all members of the administration had seen and discussed the proposals and were in agreement with the proposed savings before the information was sent to all councillors
“They indicated that all councillors of the Independent/Conservative Administration had, and were, in broad agreement. However, during a short break in the Budget Seminar at least 10 backbench councillors informed me that this was incorrect.
“They told me the first opportunity they’d been given to discuss the details around the proposed savings, and express any concerns they had would to be at a joint group meeting.”
At the moment the Powys Council has:
· 29 Independents
· 19 Conservatives
· 13 Liberal Democrats
· 7 Labour
· 2 Plaid Cymru
· 2 non-aligned
· 1 Green
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