A BUDGET that provides £6 million more for schools and extra funding for highway repairs has been approved despite complaints at a council tax rise.
Council tax payers in Torfaen will see bills increase by 4.95 per cent from April which is an extra £76.75 for a band D bill, which before police and community council charges are added, will be £1,627.32 for the new financial year.
Torfaen Borough Council Labour leader Anthony Hunt said the rise is one of the lowest in Wales, which it has been for the past three years and the council will have the fifth lowest council tax in Wales.
He also said it operates one of the “most generous” council support schemes, for people who would struggle to pay, in the UK.
The Panteg councillor said the additional money for schools, which also includes funding for the ongoing expansion of Crownbridge Special School in Cwmbran, will provide around £400,000 extra for each high school and £100,000 more for every primary, with final figures dependent on pupil numbers.
“That will keep teachers, teaching assistants and support staff in classrooms,” said Cllr Hunt.
Funding will also provide 10 extra additional learning needs places at Crownbridge or other centres.
The council will also allocate at least £3m, on top of £2m already agreed, towards highways and footpath repairs, taking advantage of special Welsh Government borrowing powers.
A £2m fund to address overspending in children’s social services is also being established and adult social services are being maintained. Cllr Hunt said savings had been made including the decision to share the chief executive with neighbouring Blaenau Gwent.
Cllr Hunt said the council, which had started the year preparing for a potential £20m budget gap, had benefited from an additional £7m due to extra investment in local government when it originally anticipated no more than a one per cent uplift that would have been a real terms cut.
“Having a Labour UK Government and a Welsh Government working with us to invest in local services has really been a game changer,” said Cllr Hunt.
Pontnewenydd Labour member Alfie Best said opposition members planning to vote against the council tax rise “must explain to residents why they voted against extra funding for highways and school.”
Pontypool independent Mark Jones replied: “We have to represent our residents and not many residents have come to me accepting a rise, that’s what the vote will be on.”
After Pontnewydd councillor, and Labour cabinet member, David Daniels said consultation also showed support for the investments made, and the council had to fund that, Cllr Jones said: “The 4.95 per cent raise, how many people will that push under? If they can’t afford it then it will have to be paid by Torfaen council, that pot will not be as big as you think it is. A lot of people will not be able to pay their way, you can bet council tax will be the first thing they won’t pay.”
Cllr Hunt was also pressed, by Llantarnam member David Thomas, who leads the Reform UK group, to confirm future council tax rised wouldn’t be above the 4.95 per cent figure in its medium-term financial plan, that shows a £9m funding gap over the next three years.
Cllr Hunt, who had said the council has a “good track record” in tackling larger funding gaps, replied: “4.95 per cent is the maximum figure we’ve got in our medium-term financial plan.”