Council tax in Newport: What’s been said about proposals

Last week, the Argus reported that the draft version of Newport City Council’s next budget would be discussed at a cabinet meeting on Friday.

And, following the conclusion of that meeting, the proposals are now available for the city’s residents to comment upon until a final version of the budget is drawn up later ahead of the next financial year.

But, while the proposed rise in council tax represents a weekly increase of between £0.59 and £0.79 for properties in house bands A through C in the city, the council has said that this represents a rise lower than the rate of inflation, and the rate remains “one of the lowest in Wales”.

What’s more, the leader of the council has revealed that in the proposals, there is up to £8 million for schools and education in Newport, along with investment in services which will benefit vulnerable residents.

However, other services, such as funeral fees and care home costs, look set to rise in the coming year.

How did we get here?

In late December, the council received its draft settlement from Welsh Government – a grant that makes up over three-quarters of the council’s budget.

This year, the council’s draft settlement saw a 10.2 per cent increase, allowing “opportunities for investing in services”.

Meanwhile, council tax, which makes up less than a quarter of the overall budget, is also set to rise.

The public consultation is now underway and will run until Friday February 11, before being discussed at February’s cabinet meeting.

Members of the public can view the proposals and have their say here.

What has been said about the proposals?

Councillor Jane Mudd, leader of Newport City Council, said: “We were grateful for a positive draft settlement from Welsh Government, which recognised the essential role that local authorities play within communities.

“We have worked hard to determine how we can best use the budget available to us to support our residents, strengthen our recovery from the Covid-19 pandemic and continue the growth of our city.

“The council provides over 800 services for 151,000 people living in more than 65,000 households. After many years of austerity and no choice but to cut services, it is great to be able to invest in the most important areas this year.

“However, with the impact of Covid-19 on businesses, the economy, employment and health, we are seeing the demand for support-based services continue to rise and these plus other priorities have to be carefully considered.

“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.

“Schools and students have also been hit particularly hard over the last two years and have done an amazing job in adapting and continuing to deliver education. The proposals include an increase in budgets that will benefit every school and student.

 “Although council tax makes up less than one-quarter of the council’s budget, we fully appreciate that it represents a considerable bill for residents. Our aim is to keep the council tax rate in Newport one of the lowest in Wales – a position we have maintained for many years.”