CONWY councillors claim the county is being short-changed after a "disappointing" 1.1 per cent increase in funding from the Welsh Assembly Government.
The council will receive £146 million in core funding from the Welsh Assembly Government in 2010-11 to support local services like education, social services, refuse collection and recycling services, which is equivalent to £1,304 for every man, woman and child living in the area.
Cabinet Member for Finance and Resources, Cllr Meirion Hughes, confirmed the low settlement was not a surprise after Local Government Minister Dr Brian Gibbons made the announcement yesterday (Tuesday).
He said: " It shows that we don't usually get what we hope for. It's not totally unexpected but still disappointing.
"1.1 per cent is a significantly less than the average which is two per cent, and there are some councils getting three per cent. We are well short of what we need to support our services. We have pressures same as anywhere else - looking after the vulnerable, landfill tax, teachers pay - and we're getting half the average."
Cllr Hughes told the Pioneer how appealing against the decision to the Welsh Local Government Association was an option, but with representatives from councils who have benefited from an above average amount of funding part of the group, it was difficult to find a fair resolution.
Cllr Hughes added: "The Minister should start acting for the greater good. During a financial crisis where the rule book should go out of the window, he should try to find a way out for everyone. We had hoped for equal pay being applied to authorities across Wales."
In a statement Dr Gibbons said the Welsh Assembly Government is "committed to protecting and sustaining the key public services that local authorities deliver to the citizens in what is, and will continue to be, a very difficult economic environment" and assured local authorities they would receive an increase of at least 1 per cent next year.
He added: “I recognise that in this extremely challenging climate local government. Working together we can address the very real difficulties that lie ahead and this settlement is a good starting point.”
Assembly Member for Clwyd West, Darren Millar was also disheartened by the poor figure.
He said: "This increase marks a record low with regards to local government settlements in Wales. This is going to put even more stress on the already strained budgets of councils throughout the country. If this translates into large council tax increases many people are going to be pushed to their financial limits.
"Nobody wants to frontline services to suffer as a result of this settlement but I find it hard to imagine how current levels can be sustained on this settlement. With councils across Wales looking to cut jobs and services, once again local authorities are being forced to bear the brunt of the Assembly Government spending squeeze."
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