Welsh councils get £146m less to spend in 2015

All councils in wales will see their budgets cut for 2015 Credit: PA

Local authorities in Wales will receive more than £4 billion from the Welsh Government in 2015-16 the Public Services Minister, Leighton Andrews has announced. But that will be 3.4% less on what they received last year on a like for like basis.

Mr Andrews says he expects local authorities to look at all income streams, including council tax and income from fees and charges when drawing up their budget for next year.

Ceredigion Council faces the biggest cut to its budget with a 4.5% reduction, while Neath Port Talbot sees the lowest reduction with a 2.4% cut.

Spending on schools has been protected by the Welsh Government so councils with growing pupil numbers tend to have the smallest overall cuts. Social services budgets have also been ring fenced.

The Welsh Local Government Association, which represents all Wales' local authorities said, local services had been "placed at the bottom of the pile" of Welsh Government priorities for a second year running and that could result in the disappearance of key services.

Councils leaders across Wales have issued a stark warning that a cut of almost £150million to their budget in 2015-16 means they will be forced to reduce many services.

Cllr Bob Wellington of Torfaen said councils had not shied away from difficult decisions and had already delivered a wide range of cost saving measures:

“The financial issues affecting local government will impact on us all. They will impact on the range and quality of the services we receive, the taxes and charges we pay and they will impact on the very fabric and resilience of communities in Wales.”

  • Isle of Anglesey -3.9% cut in budget for 2015/16

  • Gwynedd -4%

  • Conwy -3.7%

  • Denbighshire -3.7%

  • Flintshire -3.4%

  • Wrexham -2.9%

  • Powys -4.4%

  • Ceredigion -4.5%

  • Pembrokeshire -4.2%

  • Carmarthenshire -3.3%

  • Swansea -3.4%

  • Neath Port Talbot -2.4%

  • Bridgend -3.4%

  • The Vale Of Glamorgan -3.4%

  • Rhondda Cynon Taf -3.7%

  • Merthyr Tydfil -2.6%

  • Caerphilly -3.4%

  • Blaenau Gwent -2.8%

  • Torfaen -3.7%

  • Monmouthshire -4.3%

  • Newport -2.6%

  • Cardiff -2.9%

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