AN EXTRA £4 million will be pumped into Blaenau Gwent schools from April - while council tax bills rise by four per cent.

At a meeting of Blaenau Gwent County Borough Council’s executive committee on Wednesday, February 9, councillors agreed next year’s draft budget.

This will see Blaenau Gwent residents receive a hefty four per cent rise in their council tax bills from April.

In December the Welsh Government announced an increase of 8.4 per cent to the draft funding settlement for Blaenau Gwent County Borough Council for 2022/23 which equates to £10.4 million extra.

This sees the council budget go up from just over £120.6 million this year to £130.8 million for 2022/23.

The 8.4 per cent increase from the government has been passed on to the Individual Schools Budgets as a cash increase of £3.91 million.

With a number of grant allocation being added, the total increase for schools is £4.175 million

Portfolio holder for education, Cllr Joanne Collins said: “I’m delighted in the final budget of this administration that we’ve been able to passport such a large amount to our schools.

“That’s going to be welcomed by our headteachers and directly benefits the opportunities of the children and young people of this borough.”

Council leader, Cllr Nigel Daniels said: “It is really pleasing in what is the final budget that will be set by this current administration we are in a position to produce a balanced and legal budget.

“Again, we will not have any necessity to dip into our reserves which we have built up to a more than reasonable level.”

Covid-19 is the reasons behind the rise in funding seen by all Welsh local authorities for next year.

Throughout the health emergency local authorities’ costs incurred dealing with coronavirus, helping the care sector as well as the loss of income, has been met through a separate Welsh Government fund known as the Hardship Fund.

But from April 1, Blaenau Gwent as well as all other local authorities in Wales  will be expected to meet any continuing costs of the pandemic through its own budget.

The council’s chief officer for resources, Rhian Hayden explained that Blaenau Gwent had shown foresight last year in setting up a reserve fund to deal with pandemic costs.

This backup fund has not been used yet.

Ms Hayden said: “I’m also asking members to consider the impact of continuing costs of pandemic support.

“The hardship fund is ending, and the Welsh Government settlement recognised that.

“Costs have been identified that we’ll need to support for the short term, probably for the next year or two.”

She explained that costs of around £400,000 a year and are needed to pay for the extra staff needed in the civil contingencies, health and safety and public protection teams during this time.

Ms Hayden said: “It is therefore proposed that this reserved be utilised to fund the short-term costs.”

This was also agreed.

The final decision on the budget will be taken by all county councillors at a meeting on Thursday, February 17.