Council Approves Budget
The Vale of Glamorgan Council will invest more money in Social Services and also increase school funding after its budget for 2024/25 was confirmed last night.
Financial plans were agreed at a meeting of all Councillors and include a 13 per cent rise in funding across both Adult and Child Services and a five per cent increase for Education.
This will help meet growing demand for certain critical Council services from an ageing population and rising number of children with Additional Learning Needs (ALNs).
It has been achieved despite a substantial ‘real terms’ cut in funding caused in part by rising energy prices, inflation and interest rates.
Cllr Lis Burnett, Leader of the Vale of Glamorgan Council, said: “I have tried to be very clear with residents from the outset that the Council faced an unprecedented financial challenge to balance this budget.
“In simple terms, costs are rising at a much faster rate than funding, making it impossible to maintain services at current levels.
“Getting to this point has taken a lot of hard work from officers and Councillors, and I’d like to thank them for those efforts.
“I also stressed at the start of the process that protecting the most vulnerable members of our community was an absolute priority despite the difficulties that posed.
“I’m delighted that, after overcoming many obstacles, that promise has been kept, with funding increases for both Education and Social Care. This will help ensure our youngest and oldest residents, as well as those with additional needs, get the support they require.
“Though we have had to make difficult decisions, there is also an opportunity to find new and innovative ways to deliver our services and better serve our residents. This transformative approach is an area in which this organisation has a proven track record of success. I have no doubt that will continue.”
The Council will receive just under £210 million from Welsh Government for the next financial year, a figure that accounts for half its income, with the rest made up of council tax, charges for services and a share of business rates from across Wales.
After deducting contributions to Social Services and Education, just 25 per cent of this is left for all other provision.
Overall, the Council was facing financial pressures totalling £38 million and, after taking initial steps, £7.7 million-worth of savings are needed to bring expenditure in line with income.
These have been devised following an extensive public consultation, consideration by scrutiny committees and engagement with other stakeholders, including trade unions.
They are made up of charges for certain services, a council tax rise of 6.7 per cent, reduced expenditure in specific areas and forward-thinking, creative ways to generate income.
The council tax increase is significantly smaller than that being introduced by many other Welsh Local Authorities and will mean Vale residents continue to pay less than the average charged in Wales.