Montgomeryshire Assembly Member, Russell George, has today hammered the First Minister on his Government’s decision not to pass on £40m to local authorities and told the First Minister that he had let down the residents of Mid Wales.
During this week’s (13 March) First Minister’s Question Time, Mr. George said that not a single household in Mid Wales will benefit from a Council Tax freeze next year – solely because of his Government’s policy.
In England, additional funding from Westminster has provided English local authorities with the opportunity to keep council tax at its current level. The UK Government provided the Welsh Government with £40m in consequential money to allow it to pass the money onto Welsh local authorities so they could do the same. However, the Welsh Government has decided to spend the money elsewhere.
Commenting Mr. George said:
“Council Tax is something that really matters to households across Wales. Yet, this Welsh Government somehow cannot accept or understand that fact.
“To refuse to pass on £40m of UK Government money to allow cash-strapped local authorities like Powys to freeze council tax is frankly inexcusable.
“The Government should not underestimate the perceived consequences that their decision is having on doorsteps up and down Wales. Residents in Montgomeryshire are seeing what is happening across the border and are wondering why are they being disadvantaged – why are they losing out?”
Two weeks ago, the Welsh Conservative group on Powys County Council voted to freeze council tax but Liberal Democrat and Powys Independent Councillors voted to increase council tax by 2.25 per cent.
Councillor Aled Davies, Welsh Conservative Group leader on Powys County Council, said he was disappointed that Liberal Democrat and Powys Independent Councillors voted to increase council tax yet again and did not vote along with Welsh Conservative Councillors to freeze council tax this year.
He said:
“Over the last few years the council tax increase in Powys has been greater than the Welsh average and it is time to call a halt.
“At a time when hard pressed families are struggling to make ends meet, with their pay frozen and energy costs shooting up, I am disappointed that Liberal Democrat and Powys Independent Councillors voted to increase council tax yet again and did not vote along with Welsh Conservative Councillors to freeze council tax this year.
“All Councillors should be bending over backwards to make sure there is no additional burden placed on Powys residents.”
