Welshpool set for below-inflation 2.5% Council Tax rise

Following Powys County Council’s intention to add 4.9% to their Council Tax precept and Dyfed-Powys Police adding a 7.47% to their slice, Welshpool Town Council is set to impose a more respectable 2.5%.

The town already pays the second highest council tax in Powys behind Machynlleth, but the below-inflation increase for 2026/27 is expected to be rubber-stamped at full council tomorrow (Wednesday) night.

The number crunchers have been going through the budget line-by-line, with Town Clerk, Richard Williams, to tell councillors that £86,920 of “identified savings” have been made, including the “transfer of the Ann Holloway Centre and Meals on Wheels services to Welshpool Community Haven and wider efficiencies”.

But the council is hamstrung by £125,330 of increased expenditure made up of “approximately £45,350 of new and expanded projects aligned to the Interim Strategic Plan; £40,197 of unavoidable contractual and ongoing service costs; and £39,738 relating to inflationary and service delivery pressures”.

The local authority also wants to put £20,000 into their reserves which have fallen below £50,000.

The proposed budget requirement for 2026/2027 is £807,924 which the council must raise through the precept - the Council Tax we pay. This breaks down to about £286.61 for a Band D property, an increase of around 2.5% last year or 13.4 pence per week.

Councillors will have the opportunity to comment on the budget tomorrow night at the monthly full council meeting which will be streamed live via a YouTube link on the Town Council’s web site.