COUNCILS in Gwent will all receive a higher financial settlement from the Welsh Government in the next year.

Local authorities here were placed top and bottom of the new funding table, which on average raises Welsh councils' financial settlements by 9.4 per cent.

Monmouthshire County Council will be given the biggest increase in funds (11.2 per cent) of any Welsh council in 2022/23 - a move council leader Richard John said "will help us to make sure our cherished essential local services can continue to support our communities when they need it".

At the other end of the funding table is Blaenau Gwent County Borough Council, but an 8.4 per cent increase has still been welcomed there as "very positive".

"It is a settlement which recognises the critical work carried out by local authorities for communities here in Wales," leader Nigel Daniels said.

Newport City Council's financial settlement will increase by 10.2 per cent next year, followed by Torfaen Council (up 9.3 per cent) and Caerphilly County Borough Council (up 8.5 per cent).

Jane Mudd, leader of Newport council, welcomed the "positive" provisional settlement, which "recognises the essential role that local authorities play within communities".

She said the council provides 800 services for 151,000 people in Newport, and the impact of the pandemic meant demand for those services "continues to rise".

"These, plus other priorities, are now being carefully considered," Cllr Mudd added. “We have set out our strategic aims with a focus on the communities that have been impacted most by Covid-19 and ensuring we support our economy to rebuild."

A spokesman for Caerphilly council said the local authority "broadly welcomes" the provisional settlement and will now "work through the details" while preparing its own draft budget for the coming year.

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The leader of the Welsh Local Government Association (WLGA), Andrew Morgan, said the new settlement "helps put local services on a firmer financial footing than has been the case in a long time".

He added: “Investment in councils is more than figures on a spread sheet. It’s about investing in our communities, our people and in our vital services that help improve and change lives, whilst continuing to respond to two global challenges: the pandemic and climate change.”

Torfaen leader Anthony Hunt, speaking in his role as WLGA finance spokesman, welcomed "a generous uplift in revenue funding [that] will help us deliver improved outcomes across all our services".

Both Mr Morgan and Welsh finance minister Rebecca Evans noted the provisional settlement for 2022/23 had come after constructive talks between councils and the Welsh Government.

"As in recent years, our priorities continue to be health and local government services," Ms Evans said, adding: "This is a good settlement for local government.

"It provides local authorities with a stable platform on which to plan their budgets for the coming financial year and beyond."

The minister said staff pay rises and living wage costs for care workers had been factored into the increased settlement.

The Welsh Government is expected to confirm its budget in March 2022.

  • Additional reporting by Elgan Hearn