This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-politics-29539935
The article has changed 6 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
Version 2 | Version 3 |
---|---|
£146m axed from council budgets in Wales | £146m axed from council budgets in Wales |
(35 minutes later) | |
Councils in Wales have been told they will get £146m less in 2015-16 from the Welsh government. | Councils in Wales have been told they will get £146m less in 2015-16 from the Welsh government. |
Public Services Minister Leighton Andrews said local authorities will get £4.12bn in their block grants - an overall cut of 3.4% on this year. | |
Ministers insist none of Wales' 22 councils will see an individual cut of more than 4.5%. | Ministers insist none of Wales' 22 councils will see an individual cut of more than 4.5%. |
Mr Andrews said he accepted the settlement was "challenging" but was a result of reductions in UK funding. | Mr Andrews said he accepted the settlement was "challenging" but was a result of reductions in UK funding. |
Funding for each local authorities is decided according to a formula, taking into account factors such as the number of school pupils, the age profile and size of the local population. | Funding for each local authorities is decided according to a formula, taking into account factors such as the number of school pupils, the age profile and size of the local population. |
Ceredigion council sees the biggest cut of 4.5%, after statistics used to estimate poverty levels, such as the number of benefit claimants, improved. | Ceredigion council sees the biggest cut of 4.5%, after statistics used to estimate poverty levels, such as the number of benefit claimants, improved. |
Neath Port Talbot has the smallest cut of 2.4%, helped by an increase in its number of primary and secondary school pupils. | Neath Port Talbot has the smallest cut of 2.4%, helped by an increase in its number of primary and secondary school pupils. |
'Protected' | 'Protected' |
Mr Andrews said: "The settlement I am announcing today is challenging, but this is a consequence of the large scale budget reductions being imposed by the UK Government. | Mr Andrews said: "The settlement I am announcing today is challenging, but this is a consequence of the large scale budget reductions being imposed by the UK Government. |
"The Welsh government's budget for 2015-16 will be around 10% lower in real terms compared with 2010-11. | |
"However, unlike England, we have protected local authorities in Wales from the bulk of these cuts over the past five years." | "However, unlike England, we have protected local authorities in Wales from the bulk of these cuts over the past five years." |
This is the provisional local government settlement. | This is the provisional local government settlement. |
There will now be a six week consultation, with Mr Andrews due to announce the final figures in December. | There will now be a six week consultation, with Mr Andrews due to announce the final figures in December. |
However, there are usually only small changes between the provisional and final settlement. | However, there are usually only small changes between the provisional and final settlement. |
'Cruel' | |
Conservative shadow local government minister Janet Finch-Saunders described Mr Andrews' announcement as a "tough Labour settlement", arguing Labour ministers should have frozen council taxes, a policy followed in England and Scotland. | |
"This would have eased the pressure on hardworking families and facilitated the prevention of huge hikes in bills," she added. | |
Plaid Cymru finance spokesman Alun Ffred Jones said: "The local government settlement is a brutal blow for our front line services, and it will be felt in every home and every community. | |
"These cuts are driven by the UK government's cruel austerity agenda, and are being delivered by the Labour government in Cardiff Bay." | |
Council guide to budget cuts: | Council guide to budget cuts: |