Powys County Council is set to receive a below the Wales average funding settlement for next year from the Welsh Government.

Yesterday, Wednesday December 11, Cabinet Secretary for Housing and Local Government, Jane Bryant issued a written statement providing details of the provisional Local Government Settlement in Wales for 2025/2026.

The average rise throughout Wales is set to be 4.3 per cent but Powys is set to receive 3.2 per cent, which equates to £7.770 million more, but puts them near the very bottom of the Welsh funding league table, 21 of 22 local authorities.

This means that the Welsh Government grant to the council will rise to £250.184 million, up from £242.414 million.

This year the council has a total budget of just over £341 million, which means that it receives around £100 million from council tax, grants, and income from fees.

It is expected that the Liberal Democrat/Labour cabinet will publish its own budget proposals for 2025/2026 in January, and following a period of intense scrutiny, all councillors will vote upon it in late February or early March.

Ms Bryant MS said: “In 2025-26, local authorities will receive £6.1 billion from the Welsh Government Revenue Support Grant and non-domestic rates  to spend on delivering key services.

“This means the core revenue funding for local government in 2025-26 will increase by 4.3 per cent on a like-for-like basis compared to the current year.

“The additional funding provided through the autumn budget is welcome as we emerge from the prolonged period of austerity imposed by previous UK Governments, as well as a range of economic crises such as spiralling inflation.

“Our overall settlement for 2025-26 is more than £1 billion higher than it would have been under the previous UK Government.

“However, 14 years of constrained public funding cannot be turned around in just one budget and it will take time for the public finances to recover.

“As we have developed the draft Budget 2025-26, we have again prioritised protecting core frontline public services as far as possible, supporting the hardest hit households and prioritising jobs.

“In line with our focus on supporting households, this also continues to protect vulnerable and low-income households from any reduction in support through the Council Tax Reduction Scheme.”

Powys has been joined by other rural councils such as Gwynedd (3.2 per cent) and Monmouthshire (2.8 per cent) at the bottom of the funding pile while the councils for urban areas such as Cardiff (5.3 per cent) and Newport (5.6 per cent) have benefited the most out of the increased funding from the government.

Powys council have been asked for a comment.

James Evans, MS for Brecon and Radnorshire, has criticised the settlement, describing it as a clear example of rural Wales being overlooked by Welsh Labour.

“Welsh Labour’s latest funding settlement makes for grim reading for Powys County Council,” said Mr Evans.

“This is yet again a blow for the residents of Mid Wales and further shows the contempt they hold for rural Wales.”