There was a heated debate as the final budget for Neath Port Talbot was approved after a full council meeting that took place on March 2. The decision sees an increase in council tax of 4.5%, along with an increase in council charges of up to 5%.
Despite the current financial crisis, members of the council's coalition, who spoke ahead of the approval, said they believed they had delivered one of the strongest budgets in Wales this year, which focused on protecting vital services and safeguarding hundreds of jobs.
Cllr Simon Knoyle, cabinet member for finance said: "Bringing the revenue budget projections back on track has been achieved even with the extraordinary set of circumstances that we are all aware of, and that have occurred since the budget was set some 12 months ago. The level of inflation rising from approximately 3% in March last year to today's level at approximately 10%, the war in Ukraine, the cost-of-living crisis and energy price rises. Despite all of this we have been able to protect jobs and have no cuts to the services we deliver, and have also been able to find funding for investment."
