Local Government

Carmarthenshire council consults public on plans to tackle £25m budget gap

Published

5 months ago

January 12, 2026

Authority faces difficult decisions ahead of 2026/27 budget

CARMARTHENSHIRE COUNTY COUNCIL has launched a public consultation on its plans to address significant budget pressures, as it works to close a £25 million shortfall in its draft budget for 2026/27.

Like councils across Wales, Carmarthenshire is facing mounting financial challenges driven by inflation, rising demand for services and funding constraints. More than three quarters of the Council’s net revenue budget for day-to-day services such as social care and education comes from grants provided by the Welsh Government, which itself receives a block grant from the UK Government.

Only 17% of the Council’s income is generated through Council Tax.

In November 2025, the Welsh Government announced a provisional funding settlement for Carmarthenshire of 2.3%. To help bridge the gap, the Council has identified more than £9.5 million in operational savings and has also applied a recurrent £5 million saving through a reduction in employer contributions to the Dyfed Pension Fund.

Despite these measures, and a proposed Council Tax increase of 6.5%, the Council still faces a remaining shortfall of £3.5 million in its draft budget.

Since those figures were prepared, the Welsh Labour Government reached a budget agreement with Plaid Cymru on 9 December 2025. This could result in an overall funding increase of 4.1% for Carmarthenshire in 2026/27. The deal will be voted on by the Senedd on 20 January 2026.

However, until the final funding settlement is confirmed, the Council is consulting residents based on the original 2.3% provisional increase.

Savings proposals

The Council has a legal duty to set a balanced budget, ensuring that income from sources such as the Revenue Support Grant, Council Tax, paid-for services and grants meets its expenditure.

Last year, spending reductions of more than £8 million were delivered, including savings in educational transport, public conveniences and some cultural and leisure services. Building on this, the Council is proposing a further £9.5 million in operational savings for 2026/27.

Proposals focus on Integrated Services, Adult Services, Children’s Services and Environmental Infrastructure. Measures include expanding in-house care services, supporting greater independence where possible, extending the Families Together programme to reduce the need for children to enter care, increasing local fostering provision, and identifying efficiencies across highways and transport.

A significant element of the budget strategy is the reduction in employer pension contributions. Strong investment performance has allowed the Dyfed Pension Fund to reduce the Council’s contribution rate from 16.2% to 12.5% between April 2026 and March 2029. This delivers a recurrent £5 million saving with no service reductions, job losses or impact on pension benefits.

Cabinet member’s comments

Cabinet Member for Resources, Alun Lenny said the financial outlook remained extremely challenging.

He said: “Carmarthenshire County Council, like all local authorities across Wales, is facing very difficult budget decisions due to factors largely outside our control, including inflation, nationally agreed pay settlements and the level of funding provided by the Welsh Government.

“Demand for services continues to grow. Social care is under particular pressure due to an ageing population, rising commissioned care costs, Foundation Living Wage increases and capped client contributions.

“Children’s Services are also experiencing significant pressures, with more children requiring specialist residential placements, higher fostering payments and increasing complexity of need.

“Education faces challenges from school overspends, inflation and pay awards, as well as rising levels of additional learning needs, elective home education, attendance issues and behavioural pressures.

“Even after identifying £9.5 million of operational savings, we are still facing a significant budget gap. That is why it is vital that residents, businesses and stakeholders have their say on how we address these challenges.”

Have your say

The Council is inviting residents, businesses and voluntary and community organisations to comment on the proposed savings. Feedback will be considered by councillors as part of the final budget-setting process, ahead of approval by Full Council in March 2026.

Views can be shared online via the Council’s website or in person at customer service Hwb centres in Llanelli, Carmarthen and Ammanford.

The consultation closes on 1 February 2026.

Local Government

Building better culture: Public invited to help shape regional vision

Published

8 hours ago

June 4, 2026

Tom Sinclair

RESIDENTS across Mid and West Wales are being invited to help shape a new cultural vision for the region.

Powys, Carmarthenshire, Ceredigion and Pembrokeshire councils have joined forces through the Mid and West Wales Strategic Culture Partnership, which is being led by Powys County Council.

The partnership is developing a long-term plan for culture across the region, following the Welsh Government’s Priorities for Culture, published in May 2025.

The project aims to bring communities together, celebrate Wales as a nation of culture and create new opportunities for residents, creative groups and organisations.

A regional Cultural Vision and four local Cultural Priority Plans are due to be completed by October 2026. These will support collaboration and investment in culture across the region over the next five years.

Public views sought

Residents, community groups, creatives and organisations are being encouraged to share their views on what culture means to them.

The consultation is being delivered through the Cwlwm project, Golwg Creadigol, with a series of drop-in sessions and evening workshops taking place during June.

Sessions will explore different interpretations of culture, including arts, theatre, heritage, libraries, local events, language and community life.

All sessions are open to everyone, with Welsh and English language options available.

Pembrokeshire sessions will take place at Fishguard Town Hall on Thursday (Jun 11), with a drop-in session from 11:00am to 1:00pm and 2:00pm to 4:00pm, followed by an evening workshop from 7:00pm to 8:30pm.

A second Pembrokeshire session will be held at Pembroke Dock Library on Monday (Jun 22), with a drop-in session from 11:00am to 5:00pm and an evening workshop from 7:00pm to 8:30pm.

‘Bursting with creativity’

Cllr Rhys Sinnett, Pembrokeshire Cabinet Member for Resident Services, said: “Mid and West Wales is bursting with creativity, heritage and community spirit, and this exciting partnership is a fantastic opportunity to celebrate and build on that together.

“By working across four counties, we can be more ambitious, more innovative and create a cultural vision that truly showcases everything our region has to offer.

“We want to hear from as many people as possible — residents, community groups, artists and organisations — so that together we can build a cultural future that is inclusive, ambitious and rooted in what matters most to our communities.

“So please attend one of our sessions in Pembrokeshire or share your views via the online questionnaire.”

Carmarthenshire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Regeneration, Leisure, Culture and Tourism, Cllr Hazel Evans, said the partnership was “an exciting opportunity” to build a shared vision reflecting the region’s rich culture.

She said: “I would encourage residents, community groups and creatives to take part in the consultation and help shape the future of culture in our region.”

Ceredigion County Council Cabinet Member responsible for Culture, Cllr Catrin M S Davies, said: “Our culture belongs to us, helps to define us, and is an integral part of our communities — locally, regionally, nationally and internationally.

“This is a great opportunity for the people of Ceredigion and beyond to have their say on culture in the future. We want to hear as many voices as possible.”

Powys Cabinet Member for Customers, Digital and Community Services, Cllr Raiff Devlin, said culture played an important role in strengthening local identity, supporting wellbeing and creating opportunities.

He added: “This is a real opportunity for people across Powys to help shape the future of culture across Mid and West Wales, so I’d strongly encourage everyone to take a few moments to share their views.”

How to take part

The full list of sessions includes:

Thursday (Jun 11): Fishguard Town Hall, drop-in from 11:00am to 1:00pm and 2:00pm to 4:00pm, and evening workshop from 7:00pm to 8:30pm.

Monday (Jun 22): Pembroke Dock Library, drop-in from 11:00am to 5:00pm and evening workshop from 7:00pm to 8:30pm.

Monday (Jun 29): Carmarthen Library, drop-in from 11:00am to 5:00pm and evening workshop from 7:00pm to 8:30pm.

Residents can also complete the online questionnaire through Ceredigion County Council’s website.

The closing date for responses is Tuesday, June 30, 2026.

Local Government

Pembroke Dock Market by-election notice to be published

Published

10 hours ago

June 4, 2026

Tom Sinclair

RESIDENTS in Pembroke Dock Market ward are being advised that a Notice of Election will be published on Thursday (Jun 4).

Anyone wishing to stand for election must submit nomination papers to the Returning Officer between Thursday (Jun 4) and Friday (Jun 12), between 10:00am and 4:00pm.

Further details about the nomination process will be included in the Notice of Election when it is published.

Nomination papers can be obtained by emailing [email protected] or by calling the Elections Helpline on 01437 775844.

The Statement of Persons Nominated will be published after nominations close. If the election is contested, polling will take place on Thursday, July 9.

Anyone interested in becoming a councillor can find more information on the Democratic Services section of Pembrokeshire County Council’s website.

Applications to register to vote must reach the Electoral Registration Officer by midnight on Tuesday, June 23. Applications can be made online at www.gov.uk/register-to-vote.

Returning Officer Will Bramble said: “I would urge ward residents to register to vote and vote in the upcoming election.”

Poll cards will be sent to electors before polling day and will show which polling station they should attend.

Education

Tenby school needs new roof just ten years after opening

Published

16 hours ago

June 4, 2026

Bruce Sinclair - Local Democracy Reporter

FURTHER discussion are to take place about where pupils from a Pembrokeshire school will go while its roof is rebuilt after failing when it was less than 10 years old.

Tenby VC School, a 3–11 English-medium primary school with an additional Learning Resource Centre (LRC) provision, was built in 2016.

Just a few years after its build, there were reports of water ingress.

In November 2024, a £75,000 feasibility budget to look at ways of tackling roof leaks at Tenby’s VC school, including a complete new roof, was backed by members of Pembrokeshire County Council’s Cabinet.

The council implemented a series of urgent health and safety measures to mitigate immediate risks, including the installation of 510 ‘acro’ props to support vulnerable roof areas and the full closure of the Early Years/Playgroup wing, along with regular inspections.

At the November 2025 Cabinet meeting, members received a report detailing the findings of the feasibility study, with a favoured option of the replacement of entire roof, backing tenders for the works being sought.

It was warned there would need to be a “a comprehensive decant strategy” for pupils to go elsewhere while the works took place.

At the June 2026 Cabinet meeting, in a report presented by Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Education and Regeneration Cllr Paul Miller, members were asked to approve the award of a Pre-Construction Services Agreement (PCSA) for Stage 1 of the Tenby VC School Roof Replacement Project following tendering; Morgan Sindall Construction the most successful applicant.

Stage 2 construction contract will only proceed following a separate formal approval based on market tested packages, validated cost plans, and an assessment of value for money, a report for members said.

Members were also asked to consider which decant strategies are to be considered for detailed feasibility, in order to enable the roof replacement works to take place.

Seven initial options have now been narrowed down to five the report said.

Options include: decanting the whole school to Saundersfoot CP and Stepaside Schools while retaining Tenby VC as a separate entity at a cost of some £0.5m a year; distribute Tenby VC pupils across multiple local schools across the wider Tenby cluster; decant to nearby comprehensive Greenhill School which currently has 302 surplus places; establish a modular village at the northern boundary of Greenhill School, a self-contained modular village adjacent to Heywood Lane, comprising nine classrooms and associated facilities for Tenby VC; and a hybrid model combining the modular village and Greenhill accommodation.

Two earlier options of a modular village on alternative council owned land in Tenby and a modular village on the Tenby VC site have been discounted.

Members agreed to further consideration on the ‘decant’ strategy, subject to a more detailed feasibility exercise, a final decant proposal be brought to Cabinet for consideration, along with the setting aside of up to £75,000 to support the final proposal; Cllr Miller saying there were, in effect, two options for the building: to replace the roof “or don’t, and effectively abandon that site”.

“A roof completely failing on a 10-year-old building is completely bad news, but we have 180 children being educated in a building that is no longer fit for purpose, and we have to get on with it.”

A further report will be brought to Cabinet at the conclusion of Stage 1 to seek approval for entering the Stage 2 construction contract.