Rising payroll and energy costs mean difficult decisions need to be taken to balance the books, including a possible 7% rise in council tax, leaders in Carmarthenshire have warned. Cabinet has approved budget proposals for 2023-24 which benefit from higher Welsh Government funding than expected but which are more than offset by inflationary pressures.
The proposed council tax rise would add £97.72p to a band D property, taking it to £1,493.76p. This figure excludes the Dyfed-Powys Police precept, which is added to council tax bills. The budget proposals are out for consultation and could change between now and March when the budget is set by full council.
Referring to the proposed 7% council tax rise, Cllr Alun Lenny, cabinet member for resources, said: "I am painfully aware that this will be an additional burden for people, on top of everything else, but 7% is 3% lower than this month's inflation level." Cllr Lenny said he and his cabinet colleagues would try to limit the council tax rise as much as possible in the coming weeks, so the final figure might not be 7%.
