Council tax bills in many parts of Powys - including the bigger towns like Brecon - will break through the £2,000 mark in the coming year.
At a meeting of Powys County Council on Thursday, March 7 councillors met to formally set the council tax, which is an annual legal requirement that’s needed before bills can start to be sent out to residents.
The bill for B and D properties is seen as the national standard for comparison, and residents living in Band D properties in Brecon, Llandrindod Wells, Machynlleth, Newtown, Welshpool and Ystradgynlais will all be facing bills from £2,100 up to £2,372.
On February 22, the council had debated and agreed a 7.5 per cent council tax increase for the 2024/2025 budget as well as cuts of more than £10.5 million that need to be made in order to balance the books next year.
Council tax is made up of three components, the biggest being payment for services from a principal authority such as Powys which includes education, social services, rubbish collection and highway maintenance, but a levy called a precept is also charged by the local police force, Dyfed-Powys Police and also from town or community councils.
Earlier this year Dyfed-Powys Police approved a precept increase of 6.2 per cent, which takes the annual cost up to £332.03 for a Band D property.
In recent months more than 100 town and community councils in Powys have been meeting to discuss their own financial needs and decide the amount of precept to levy on their areas.
These elements are brought together so that a total council tax bill is calculated.
Finance portfolio holder Labour’s Cllr David Thomas said: “It’s a very technical report but if you go through it there’s a level of clarity there.”
Director of corporate services and s151 officer Jane Thomas said: “This does not reopen the budget debate that was approved the week before - this is just the calculation around what was approved.
“It’s important that we set the council tax before March 11 to meet some of our statutory requirements and any delay would have a significant impact on cashflow, both for this council and other precepting authorities - it’s important to note that.
Councillors then went to a vote and the resolution was approved with 34 councillors voting in favour, 12 against and 14 abstentions.
COMMUNITY COUNCIL TAX BAND D
BRECONSHIRE: Brecon – £2,139.24, Bronllys – £2003.70, Builth Wells – £2,086.10, Cilmery – £1992.37, Cray – £2,026.37, Crickhowell – £2,026.63, Duhonw – £1988.52, Erwood – £2004.69, Felinfach – £1996.15, Glyn Tarrell – £2,001.24, Gwernyfed – £2,018.43, Hay-on-Wye – £2,062.80, Honddu Isaf- £1975.75, Llanafan Fawr £1985.21, Llanddew £2008.65, Cwmdu and District – £2001.95, Llanfrynach – £2008.61, Llangammarch – £2011.89, Llangattock – £2060.67, Llangorse – £2,011.01, Llangynidr – £2019.68, Llanigon – £2,030.79, Llanwrthwl – £2,004.29, Llanwrtyd Wells – £2,019.14, Llywel – £2010.15, Maescar – £2,006.75, Merthyr Cynog – £1970.81, Talgarth – £2,068, Talybont-on-Usk – £2,017.55, Tawe Uchaf – £2,013.63, Trallong – £1994.90, Treflys – £1,986.85, Vale of Grwyney – £1992.83, Yscir- £1975.79, Ystradfellte £2,019.76, Ystradgynlais – £2,100.77
RADNORSHIRE: Abbeycwmhir – £2,019.03, Aberedw – £1,981.58, Beguildy – £1995.02, Clyro – £1,996.95, Disserth & Trecoed – £1,985.63, Gladestry – £1,985.84, Glasbury – £1989.61, Glascwm – £1989.84, Knighton – £2050.52, Llanbadarn Fawr – £1999.81, Llanbadarn Fynydd – £2,001.10, Llanbister – £2,005.93, Llanddewi Ystradenny – £1,985.37, Llandrindod Wells – £2,055.34, Llanelwedd – £1986.18, Llanfihangel Rhydithon – £2,021.89, Llangunllo – £1,990.60, Llanyre – £1,999.10, Nantmel – £2,010.30, New Radnor – £2,012.81, Old Radnor – £1,991.24, Painscastle – £1,978.85, Penybont & Llandegley – £1,999.78, Presteigne & Norton – £2,026.81, Rhayader – £2,036.29, St Harmon – £2,021.23, Whitton – £1,987.23.