RESIDENTS across Gwent will soon find out how much their council tax bills will be going up this year.

Newport, Torfaen, Monmouthshire, Blaenau Gwent, and Caerphilly councils have been consulting with residents over their draft budgets – which include any potential rises in council tax.

Households face rises in council tax ranging from 1.95 per cent in Torfaen to 9.5 per cent in Newport.

None of the proposals have been set in stone yet, but all five councils will need to finalise a balanced budget before April.

Newport

Newport council has proposed a 9.5 per cent increase in council tax.

This would mean that the majority of households would pay between an extra £1.55 a week (Band A) and £2.07 a week (Band C). Across a year, this works out as an £80.60 rise for Band A homes and a £107.64 increase for Band C homes.

Newport council's budget consultation closed on Thursday, February 2, and the cabinet will make their final recommendations on the overall budget on Tuesday, February 14.

Torfaen

Households in Torfaen could be set to see the lowest increase in council tax in Gwent, after councillors agreed to repeat last year’s 1.95 per cent increase.

This means that residents in Bands A to C could see an average increase of between £23.41 and £31.22 a year – or 45p to 60p a week.

The final budget proposals will be considered at a full council meeting on Tuesday, February 28.

Monmouthshire

Councillors in Monmouthshire have proposed a 5.95 per cent increase in council tax.

For a Band D property of £1,476.79, this would be an additional £87.87 a year or £1.69 a week.

Households in Bands A to C would see rises of between £58.76 and £78 a year – or £1.13 to £1.50 a week.

The budget consultation is open until midday on Thursday, February 16.

Blaenau Gwent

In Blaenau Gwent, the current proposal is for a four per cent increase. The council reports this would see an average increase of £1.13 per week.

Applying the four per cent rise would see council tax for the average Band A property increase by £56.04 annually (or £1.08 a week), while an average Band C home would rise £74.73 a year (or £1.44 a week).

The council’s final budget will be decided by councillors later in February.

Caerphilly

In Caerphilly, a 7.9 per cent increase has been proposed.

This would see the precept for Band D rise to £1,353.01 – which is an annual increase of £99.06, or £1.91 per week.

Band A properties would rise by £66.04 annually – or by £1.27 a week – to £902.01, while the precept for a Band C property would now be £1,202.68 – a rise of £87.88 annually or £1.69 weekly.

The budget consultation will run until Wednesday, February 8.