Plaid Cymru Caerphilly Together, We Can Build a Brighter Future

Plaid Cymru councillors have branded plans to put up council tax in Caerphilly by 7.9% in council tax as unnecessary, unacceptable and an attack on local residents.

Penyrheol Councillor Greg Ead, who has carried out a detailed analysis of Caerphilly Council’s finances, described the sweeping savings proposed of £55m as extortionate.

“Building up a total of over £230 million in taxpayers’ money in the midst of a cost-of-living crisis is morally inexcusable and definitely NOT prudent financial management,” Councillor Ead argues.

“The Labour administration and council officers argue that all the reserves are ringfenced but the truth is that the only funds ringfenced by law are the general fund, capital reserves and housing revenue accounts, a total of circa £100m.

“Plaid Cymru maintains that Caerphilly Council could easily use the £55m under spend in 2021-22 banked in reserves to cover the budget deficit and still have the same amount in the bank as they started the year (£181m) which we argue is still far too much in reserves.

“We propose a zero council tax increase, as this would only raise £6m which can easily be found from useable reserves. A proposed rise of 7.9% as well as being unnecessary and unacceptable is an attack on local residents and their living costs.”

Councillor Colin Mann, Plaid Cymru’s finance spokesman said: “The work carried out by Councillor Greg Ead clearly illustrates to the public that a rise in council tax cannot be justified and bills should be frozen for residents.

“This view is supported by Labour councillors as well as Plaid Cymru and Independents. It’s time the Labour Cabinet opened its eyes to the suffering many are enduring and the council should NOT be making life worse for our residents.”