COUNCIL tax will increase in Conwy in the 2024-25 financial year as council members attempt to “do everything we can to protect vital services”.

Members of Conwy County Borough Council have today (February 29) set the budget and council tax for 2024-25.

Councillors supported the recommendation that the council’s part of the “band D” council tax for 2024-25 be £1,733.37.

This is an increase of £152.84 for the year - equivalent to £2.94 extra per week. 

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Cllr Charlie McCoubrey, council leader, introduced the report to the meeting of the council.

He said: “Once again, we, as elected members, face the unpalatable balance of further cuts to services or punitive and unwelcome increases in council tax levels.

“Clearly, this situation is not unique to Conwy with councils struggling across the UK.

“Much of this is out of our direct control, most notably pay awards, interest rates and other significant elements such as social care and homelessness services, which are demand-led.”

The actual level of council tax chargeable for an individual property will depend on its valuation band.

It will also depend on the precept for the Police and Crime Commissioner for North Wales, and the town or community council where the property is situated.

Conwy has 55,800 dwellings subject to council tax, of which about 21,400 receive single person discount.

Roughly 10,500 households are supported by the Council Tax Reduction Scheme, some of whom will also receive single person discount.

Cllr McCoubrey added: “At a time when personal taxation levels are at record levels, it is incredibly disappointing that the work of local government is undervalued and clearly underfunded, leaving council tax payers contributing more and receiving less.

“We’ll do everything we can to protect vital services, but to address the shortfall, we will need to reduce business cases; reduce services, and increase council tax.

“I’d like to record my thanks for the pragmatic and collaborative ways in which everyone involved has worked to bridge our highest-ever funding gap.

“But even after all that work, we’re left with a gap of £8million.

“To fund this, we’ll require an increase of 8.9 per cent on council tax for council services, plus an additional 0.77 per cent for the increase in the levy for the North Wales Fire and Rescue Authority, which is a combined increase of 9.67 per cent."