COUNCIL tax will rise by 4.9% in Carmarthenshire and some planned savings reversed if budget proposals are agreed in the coming weeks.
A 6.5% council tax hike had initially been considered but a report before cabinet on February 16 set out the lower figure following a consultation which 1,203 people responded to.
If approved by cabinet and then full council the 4.9% increase would mean Band D households paying £1,830.97p in 2026-27, although this doesn’t include the Dyfed-Powys Police precept.
Cabinet could also row back on some highways savings that had been planned, such as a £75,000 cut in the road sweeping budget and a £45,000 reduction in the bridge maintenance budget.
One person who responded to public consultation described the B-road from Llandeilo to Llanarthne as “an absolute disgrace”. Another said: “How about fitting council vehicles with cameras so they record the condition of the roads so repairs can be actioned, not just relying on reports from public.”
The cost of school meals attracted several comments and cabinet is likely to halve the planned increase for parents. This would mean £92,000 less income for the authority than envisaged.
A single parent responded to the consultation saying she was on Universal Credit and paid £120 per month for her eldest child to have lunch at school. “It is already very expensive, and I cannot afford any increase,” said the parent.
Another person said: “Good food standards should be met, and the cost of food has increased so accordingly school meal prices have to increase.”
A third of respondents didn’t want any increase to council tax, which went up by 8.9% in April last year. Two-thirds were willing to accept some level of increase, and 10% were comfortable with a hike of 6-7%.
A recurring theme was opposition to any education budget cuts. Social services was the second highest priority in terms of protecting expenditure. These two frontline departments are the most costly to run by some distance.
The council’s net budget – excluding income it gets through various fees and specific grants – looks set to be £541.5 million in 2026-27. This factors in savings of £8.7 million.
This £541.5 million would be funded by £400.1 million provided via the Welsh Government’s revenue support grant and a share of business of rates, and £141.4 million from council tax payers.
The report said the council was forecasting to overspend by just over £2 million this financial year, rising to nearly £10.7 million when school deficits were included.
Some council projects came in for criticism in the consultation such as the overhaul of the vacant Debenhams store in Carmarthen, which is being turned into a gym, customer services hub and visitor information outlet. The revamped building, Atriwm, will also be home to health services and sport and exercise therapy clinics.
Five years ago the Debenhams scheme was expected to cost £19.6 million, based on a conceptual design, compared to a current forecast of £41 million. Rising construction costs and an expansion of original vision help explain why the figures are so different. Council leader Linda Evans said in cabinet last month that the authority was committing just under £12.8 million to the project, with just over £28.2 million coming from central Government and other partners involved.
One consultation responded said: “Shelve the Debenhams project – it’s turning into a massive white elephant.”
Another person said regeneration was needed to drive economic development but added that many people “fail to see how the expenditure of £60 million” on the Debenhams project and the cycle path being built between Carmarthen and Ffairfach, by Llandeilo, would deliver a return that benefited Carmarthen.
Business rates, which are collected but not set by councils, and rents were also high on people’s minds. One respondent said: “Business rates now a huge problem to many.” Another said: “Lower rents to encourage smaller or any business coming to Carmarthenshire.”
