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| Rises of up to 4.5% in council tax considered | Rises of up to 4.5% in council tax considered |
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| Increases of up to 4.5% in council tax and cuts in services are being considered by four Welsh councils. | Increases of up to 4.5% in council tax and cuts in services are being considered by four Welsh councils. |
| Rhondda Cynon Taf, Wrexham, Caerphilly and Merthyr Tydfil councils will meet to set their budgets on Wednesday. | Rhondda Cynon Taf, Wrexham, Caerphilly and Merthyr Tydfil councils will meet to set their budgets on Wednesday. |
| Councils in Wales have had their funding from the Welsh government cut, and many are looking to increases in council tax to fill the deficit. | Councils in Wales have had their funding from the Welsh government cut, and many are looking to increases in council tax to fill the deficit. |
| On Tuesday, Powys council shelved proposals for a £20m package of savings and 3.95% hike in council tax. | On Tuesday, Powys council shelved proposals for a £20m package of savings and 3.95% hike in council tax. |
| Plans to cut special education services and to raise day care centre charges were thrown out during a full council meeting in Llandrindod Wells which was disrupted by protesters. The decision has now been adjourned until next week. | Plans to cut special education services and to raise day care centre charges were thrown out during a full council meeting in Llandrindod Wells which was disrupted by protesters. The decision has now been adjourned until next week. |
| Local government expert Dr Marlene Davies, Associate of the University of South Wales, told BBC Wales: "Councils have got mandatory services that they have to provide - education is a key one, social services is another - there is lots of legislation out there that requires these local government services. | Local government expert Dr Marlene Davies, Associate of the University of South Wales, told BBC Wales: "Councils have got mandatory services that they have to provide - education is a key one, social services is another - there is lots of legislation out there that requires these local government services. |
| "Usually a huge percentage is spent on these mandatory services, so there is only about 10% of their budgets where they can make savings. | "Usually a huge percentage is spent on these mandatory services, so there is only about 10% of their budgets where they can make savings. |
| "They can't even fall back on using their reserves as that is only a short-term fix. You need that money for contingency plans, things that happen like the floods or storm damage." | "They can't even fall back on using their reserves as that is only a short-term fix. You need that money for contingency plans, things that happen like the floods or storm damage." |
| Rhondda Cynon Taf will hope to be more successful than Powys with its proposals. | Rhondda Cynon Taf will hope to be more successful than Powys with its proposals. |
| The council has said it needs to save £70m during four years. There have already been protests against plans to increase the age the youngest children start school, close libraries and shut day care centres for the elderly. | The council has said it needs to save £70m during four years. There have already been protests against plans to increase the age the youngest children start school, close libraries and shut day care centres for the elderly. |
| The council has also consulted on a further round of cuts, which include closing a theatre, museum, bus routes and switching off street lights. | The council has also consulted on a further round of cuts, which include closing a theatre, museum, bus routes and switching off street lights. |
| An increase of 4.5% in council tax has been recommended. | An increase of 4.5% in council tax has been recommended. |
| Wrexham council needs to save nearly £14m this year and £45m over five years. | Wrexham council needs to save nearly £14m this year and £45m over five years. |
| It has proposed a lower council tax increase of 3%, and plans to save money by closing some community centres, libraries and the Plas Madoc leisure centre and Waterworld - which have led to protests. | It has proposed a lower council tax increase of 3%, and plans to save money by closing some community centres, libraries and the Plas Madoc leisure centre and Waterworld - which have led to protests. |
| Merthyr Tydfil council needs to save £15.3m during four years. | Merthyr Tydfil council needs to save £15.3m during four years. |
| It has proposed an increase of 3.95% in council tax and cuts of 200 council jobs. There have also been plans to close an elderly people's centre and reduce library opening hours. | |
| The council deferred a decision on controversial proposals to scrap free transport for sixth-form pupils on Wednesday. | |
| The plan to remove post-16 free home-to-school and free home-to-college transport had been condemned by parents and pupils at Ysgol Gyfun Rhydywaun who claimed it would undermine Welsh-medium education. | |
| Scrapping the post-16 transport would have saved £115,000 per year but there will now be a period of further consultation before any action is taken. | |
| Caerphilly council needs to cut £14.53m this year, and more than £28m during the next three years. | Caerphilly council needs to cut £14.53m this year, and more than £28m during the next three years. |
| Council tax is set to rise by 3.9%, with proposals which include increasing paperwork charges and reducing the frequency of cutting grass in civic areas. | Council tax is set to rise by 3.9%, with proposals which include increasing paperwork charges and reducing the frequency of cutting grass in civic areas. |
| Cardiff council is meeting to discuss its budget and a 3.97% increase in council tax on Thursday. | Cardiff council is meeting to discuss its budget and a 3.97% increase in council tax on Thursday. |
| A Welsh government spokesperson said: "In these challenging financial times, councils need to be taking determined action to ensure services are maintained and improved while also giving people value for money from their council tax. | A Welsh government spokesperson said: "In these challenging financial times, councils need to be taking determined action to ensure services are maintained and improved while also giving people value for money from their council tax. |
| "We are already supporting councils to make savings, for example the National Procurement Service, which went live in November and is expected to generate savings of up to £25m each year. | "We are already supporting councils to make savings, for example the National Procurement Service, which went live in November and is expected to generate savings of up to £25m each year. |
| "Funding is also available through the Invest to Save and the Regional Collaboration Funds, which help public services to work with each other to transform services by meeting upfront costs which could otherwise be a barrier." | "Funding is also available through the Invest to Save and the Regional Collaboration Funds, which help public services to work with each other to transform services by meeting upfront costs which could otherwise be a barrier." |