News

Carmarthenshire council tax rise of 8.9 percent confirmed

Published

10 months ago

February 26, 2025

A MAJORITY of councillors have voted in favour of spending £524.6m on key services in Carmarthenshire next year, increasing council tax by 8.9% and making savings of £8.1m.

It’s a rise in expenditure of nearly £35m compared to the current financial year with all departments getting more money.

The Plaid-Independent administration had been proposing a 9.75% council tax rise but this was trimmed to 8.9% when councillors met on February 26 to set a balanced budget.

Labour opposition councillors accused the administration of failing to curb overspending by schools resulting in what they said was a 3.5% higher council tax rise than would otherwise have been the case.

Plaid councillors agreed the council tax rise could have been 3.5% lower but said it was due to increases in employer national insurance contributions brought in by the UK Labour Government which the authority would have to cover.

The council is getting £25m more from central government to fund its revenue budget than this financial year – a 4.1% increase – but rising costs and demand for key services like adult social care has required a council tax hike, savings, and increases in certain charges.

Introducing the proposals Plaid cabinet member for resources, Cllr Alun Lenny, said the extra £25m fell well short of what was needed to maintain services at an “acceptable level”. He said: “Although siren voices call for no cuts and a council tax freeze I must remind everyone that we have to set a legal budget.”

Cllr Lenny added that unpopular proposals for a 10% rise in council car park charges and the closure of public toilets if they couldn’t be transferred to other groups had been shelved following public consultation.

Cllr Linda Evans, deputy council leader, said the authority had been forced to make cuts every year bar one since 2008 when she was first elected due to what she said was under-investment by central government. “None of us want to see cuts, none of us want to raise council tax, but we have to. We have no choice,” she said.

Cllr Kevin Madge led Labour’s riposte, saying the council would be in a worse position had Labour not won last year’s general election and increased its funding for the Welsh Government, which in turn funds councils.

Cllr Madge branded overspending by schools in Carmarthenshire “unacceptable” and said the administration had failed to stop it for years. This was unfair on schools which balanced their books, he said, and on residents as council tax would be 3.5% higher next year in order to protect school budgets.

Labour colleague Cllr Martyn Palfreman said the proposed 8.9% council tax rise was still “eyewatering”, despite coming down from 9.75%, and that his party would take “bold steps” to transform council services and achieve better outcomes which cost less if it was in charge.

Cllr Alex Evans, of Plaid, said Labour should have approached the administration with its “bold ideas” and that , in his view, the only real change at a national level since last year’s general election was a negative one.

That drew a response from Cllr Michael Thomas, of Labour, who said it was all too easy to blame external factors. He accused Plaid of deflecting, prevaricating, and of mismanaging school budgets. He said educating children at small schools was more expensive than larger ones and that 14 out of 17 schools with fewer than 50 pupils were in Plaid wards. Cllr Thomas said the administration’s budget proposals stemmed from “the fear of making unpopular decisions in Plaid wards”.

Labour leader,Cllr Deryk Cundy said his party hadn’t had a chance to submit alternative budget proposals to the ruling coalition. He recommended more use of artificial intelligence by the council and more effective procurement on projects such as new schools, citing the fact that only one company had come forward with a price for a new Ysgol Heol Goffa, Llanelli.

Plaid cabinet member for regeneration, Cllr Hazel Evans, said Labour’s employer national insurance hikes would undermine growth and the planned council tax rise would be 5.4% without them. This, she said, was because the authority would have to pick up the national insurance bill for services it commissioned from the private sector.

Cllr Gareth John, also Plaid, said he’d hoped there would have been a consensus in recognition of “the dire financial outlook facing local government as a whole”. Instead, he said, the opposition did what it always did and blamed the administration. Cllr John said the Welsh Local Government Association, which represents the country’s 22 councils, had “made it perfectly clear” to the Welsh Government that councils needed an extra 7.5% of funding in 2025-26 just to stand still, which put Carmarthenshire’s 4.1% uplift into perspective.

Council leader, Cllr Darren Price, said the gap between what local authorities needed and what they received had very real impacts. “There is an £18m gap which we have to fill either by cutting services, increasing council tax, or a combination of both,” he said. Not increasing council tax, he said, would require £8.5m of cuts on top of the £8.1m that were already proposed.

The Plaid leader said Labour was not happy with increasing council tax or making savings and asked what they’d do. “It’s very fundamental, it’s very basic, and you have zero answers,” he said. “And that’s where my frustration will start to kick in.”

Cllr Price also accused Cllr Cundy of lying about not having an opportunity to put forward options saying there had been meetings for example last July, December, and also last Friday when this could have happened. He also said the opposition could have tabled an amendment at the budget meeting with alternative proposals.

Cllr Cundy said there had been meetings but they weren’t really to discuss policy and that Labour had tried to suggest ideas at meetings with other cabinet members and with council officers.

The council tax rise will come into force in April and mean band D households paying £1,745,43, excluding the Dyfed-Powys Police precept and any community council charge.

By Richard Yule, Local Democracy Reporter

News

Welsh Government outlines new rights for homeowners facing estate management charges

Published

7 minutes ago

December 18, 2025

Tom Sinclair

HOMEOWNERS living on privately managed estates in Wales are set to gain new legal protections under changes being introduced as part of the Leasehold and Freehold Reform Act 2024, the Welsh Government has said.

In a written statement published on Thursday (Dec 18), the Cabinet Secretary for Housing and Local Government, Jayne Bryant MS, provided an update on how the legislation will be implemented in Wales, with a particular focus on estate management charges paid by freehold homeowners.

Until now, homeowners on privately managed estates have often faced unclear or high bills for maintenance and services, with limited ability to obtain information or challenge costs. Once fully implemented, Part 5 of the Act is intended to address those concerns.

New powers for homeowners

Under the reforms, homeowners will be given the right to challenge the reasonableness of estate management charges for the first time. Estate managers will also be required to provide clearer information about the services being paid for through those charges.

In cases where estate management has failed, homeowners will be able to apply to a tribunal for a substitute manager to be appointed. The Act will also require estate managers to publish details of any administration charges in advance, where payment is expected.

Jayne Bryant said the changes would bring “significant new rights and protections” for homeowners affected by estate management fees.

Welsh and UK consultations

Responsibility for introducing the necessary secondary legislation is shared between the Welsh and UK Governments. While many of the powers rest with UK Ministers, Welsh Ministers are responsible for rules relating to the publication of administration charges in Wales.

The Welsh Government has confirmed it is working alongside UK counterparts to ensure both consultations are launched at the same time, allowing homeowners and stakeholders to consider the full set of proposals together.

Homeowners are being encouraged to respond to both the Welsh Government consultation on administration charges and the UK Government consultation on the wider estate management regime.

The consultations are now open and form part of the process to bring the new protections into force.

News

Flood warnings issued across Wales as heavy rain raises river levels

Published

29 minutes ago

December 18, 2025

Tom Sinclair

FLOOD warnings and alerts have been issued across large parts of Wales as persistent heavy rain causes river levels to rise, with parts of the country facing an increased risk of flooding on Thursday (Dec 18).

Natural Resources Wales (NRW) has confirmed that four flood warnings are currently in place, meaning immediate action is required, while a further 16 flood alerts have been issued where flooding is possible.

A yellow weather warning for rain has been issued by the Met Office, covering much of Wales from 10:00am on Thursday until 7:00pm, with disruption expected in some areas.

NRW said the warnings follow prolonged wet weather, with further heavy rainfall forecast to move across the country during the day.

The Met Office said: “An area of heavy rain will move northeast across the warning area during Thursday morning and afternoon before clearing to the east through the evening.

“Given recent very wet weather, there is potential for some disruption to travel and possible flooding.

“Much of the warning area will see 15–25mm of rain but some places could see 40–50mm, with the highest totals falling over high ground of south Wales.”

Forecasters have also warned that strong winds could worsen conditions, particularly along the coast.

“There is a chance of 60–70mph gusts along the exposed south coast, and perhaps 40–50mph some way inland,” the Met Office added.

Flood warnings in force

NRW has confirmed flood warnings are currently active at the following locations:

River Towy at Carmarthen Quay, Carmarthen
River Ritec at Tenby
River Towy affecting isolated properties between Llandeilo and Abergwili
River Rhyd Hir at Riverside Terrace, Pwllheli

Residents in these areas are being urged to take immediate action to protect property and personal safety.

Flood alerts issued

In addition, flood alerts — meaning flooding is possible — have been issued for the Lower Severn catchment in Powys, along with other areas shown on NRW’s live flood monitoring maps.

NRW is advising people to remain vigilant, avoid flooded roads and footpaths, and keep up to date with the latest forecasts and warnings.

The Herald understands that river levels will continue to be closely monitored throughout the day as rainfall moves through Wales.

Members of the public can check the latest flood warnings and alerts on the Natural Resources Wales website or by signing up for flood alerts direct to their phone.

Flood alerts and warnings across Wales on Thursday (Pic: NRW).

Crime

Jury discharged after failing to reach verdict in historic abuse trial

Published

1 hour ago

December 18, 2025

Rieve Nesbitt-Marr

CPS have a week do decide if they wish to pursue a re-trial, judge confirms

THE JURY has been discharged in the trial of a Milford Haven man accused of historic child sex offences after telling the court it was unable to reach a verdict, even by majority.

Thomas Kirk, aged 50, of Meyler Crescent, Milford Haven, is charged with the oral rape and sexual assault of a child, with the offences alleged to have taken place in Pembrokeshire between 2007 and 2009, when the complainant was aged between thirteen and fifteen. He denies the charges.

On Thursday (Dec 18), the jury returned to Swansea Crown Court and was asked whether it had reached a verdict on either count upon which at least ten jurors were agreed.

The foreman replied: “No.”

Judge Paul Thomas KC then asked whether there was any realistic likelihood that further deliberations would lead to a verdict being reached.

The foreman replied: “No, your honour.”

Judge Thomas KC said that in those circumstances he would discharge the jury and give the prosecution seven days to decide whether it would seek a retrial.

Addressing the jurors, the judge said they should not think they had failed or let anyone down.

“These things happen,” he said. “It’s one of the strengths of the jury system that people hold different views.”

He thanked the jury for their service and wished them a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.

The court heard that the prosecution will now consider its position, with a further hearing expected next week to determine whether a retrial will take place.