MONMOUTHSHIRE council’s proposal to ask town and community groups to fund or share costs for services have been slammed across the county.

Town and community councils have been asked to contribute £400,000 over 2016/17 to fund discretionary services that the county council says might otherwise need to be axed because of budget cuts.

But a group in north Monmouthshire last week said the plan, which was approved by the county council at a meeting on January 21, "lacks integrity” and that they have no interest in supporting any further cost sharing for facilities including public toilets and street cleaning.

Monmouthshire’s Conservative and Liberal Democrat coalition approved a 3.95 per cent council tax rise on January 21, rather than the 4.95 per cent increase they had consulted on at several public meetings. Senior council members said that was possible because of a better than expected Welsh Government settlement.

But opposition politicians have criticised the switch – and said that the lower than expected increase is at town and community councils’ expense with May’s Welsh Assembly and next year’s council elections in mind.

Members of Llanover, Llanfoist Fawr, Llanelly, Crucorney, Grosmont and Llantilio Pertholey community councils, which make up the North Monmouthshire Liaison Committee, state in a letter seen by the Free Press: “We do not see the logic of county putting itself in a better position with the electorate by putting the burden onto local councils, many of whom are very small and not equipped to deal with it either with finances or staff.”

Later they add there is “no will to cooperate” with the county on cost sharing.

A formal discussion over the county council's budget will follow at Chepstow Town Council, but last Wednesday Labour members were scathing over the proposals that could see them stump up as much as £95,000 for services.

In their 2016/17 budget it reserved £50,000 in anticipation of any possible costs.

Councillor Hilary Beach said: “[The county council] in effect has had a windfall and they are still coming to town councils to provide them with what they want. I would urge this town council to consider [providing] what we want.”

Cllr Armand Watts said the county council had come begging to his town council.

He said: “They want more money: ‘Please sir, can I have some more?’ Except this time it’s Fagin, not Oliver Twist. I find it very distressing.”