CARMARTHENSHIRE COUNTY COUNCIL has approved its revenue budget for 2026-27, confirming a 4.9% increase in council tax alongside £9.6 million in spending reductions.

The agreed rise is lower than the originally proposed 6.5%, following a period of public consultation with residents, schools, businesses and other stakeholders across the county. The reduction was also made possible by a £5 million saving from the Dyfed Pension Fund employer contribution and additional funding from the Welsh Government.

Council tax currently raises around 17% of the authority’s income, with approximately 70% of the net budget funded through Welsh Government grants.

Cabinet Member for Resources Cllr Alun Lenny said the final budget reflected feedback gathered during the consultation process.

“The Budget Strategy approved at Full Council responds to the valuable feedback raised as part of the public consultation process and ensures, as far as possible, that service levels and standards are maintained,” he said.

He added that additional Welsh Government funding — almost £6.5 million — had improved the council’s financial position by nearly £3 million and removed a projected £3.5 million shortfall.

More than 1,200 people, including residents, school staff, town and community councils, unions, scrutiny committees and young people, responded to the consultation.

As a result, the final budget includes amendments totalling £850,000 and removes some previously proposed cuts.

Changes include the restoration of £160,000 for highways, a 50% reduction in the planned increase to school meal costs, and the removal of a proposal to close Pendine Outdoor Education Centre in 2027-28 to allow further feasibility work.

Savings affecting the Families Together Team have also been withdrawn.

The council said the budget also includes additional investment in property maintenance, the modernising education team, increased support for the Welsh language in education, and further investment in highways.

Call for politicians to treat financial wellbeing as a public health priority ahead of Senedd election

WALES cannot fix its growing health crisis without confronting the financial pressures facing households, a senior public policy figure has warned.

Fran Targett, a Bevan Commissioner and chair of the Welsh Government’s National Advice Network, says economic insecurity is driving poor physical and mental health outcomes across communities — and that the NHS will remain under strain unless the root causes are tackled.

She argues that financial wellbeing must be recognised as a core determinant of health, not simply a social issue.

“Health matters, and Wales cannot fix its long-term health challenges without confronting the economic realities that shape people’s daily lives,” she said.

Her intervention comes as health services across Wales continue to face waiting list backlogs, emergency care pressures and widening inequality in outcomes between communities.

Money worries damaging health

Targett said financial wellbeing — the ability to pay bills, cope with unexpected costs and feel secure about the future — directly affects both life expectancy and quality of life.

People struggling to afford essentials such as food, heating, rent and transport are more likely to experience chronic illness, mental distress and premature death, she warned.

Cold homes worsen respiratory conditions, while financial stress can lead to unhealthy coping behaviours including smoking, alcohol misuse and gambling.

“Unless we address the financial insecurity that underpins so many of these issues, we will be treating symptoms, not causes,” she said.

She also highlighted stark inequalities affecting vulnerable groups, including social renters, lone parents, disabled people and those with long-term conditions.

Political action needed

Targett said Wales already has policy frameworks that recognise prevention and fairness, but warned that stronger political leadership is now required.

She called for closer alignment between health policy, housing, employment and financial support systems, arguing that improving financial resilience would reduce pressure on NHS services over time.

“As Wales approaches the Senedd elections, we have a choice — continue firefighting the consequences of poor financial wellbeing or finally confront the root causes,” she said.

She acknowledged that tackling health inequality may require difficult financial decisions, including increased investment, but said the long-term benefits would include healthier communities and a more sustainable health service.

Long-term benefits

Targett said building financial confidence and stability through education, workplaces and community support could lead to lower stress, stronger participation in society and better health outcomes.

“When people feel secure with their money, they are happier, participate more in their communities and are better able to make healthy choices,” she said.

Her comments add to growing debate about how Wales should tackle health inequality ahead of the 2026 Senedd election campaign, with increasing focus on prevention and the social causes of illness.

Concerns raised over consultation process as governors’ community hub proposal gains attention

CYMDEITHAS YR IAITH has criticised Carmarthenshire County Council’s proposal to close Ysgol Meidrim, describing the move as an “illogical conclusion” and questioning whether the statutory presumption against closing rural schools has been properly applied.

The campaign group issued a formal response to the consultation, arguing that local authorities are required to begin any review of a rural school by seriously considering how it can be sustained and developed, with closure considered only as a last resort.

Speaking on behalf of Cymdeithas yr Iaith locally, Ffred Ffransis said: “Nobody could understand why the council would come to the illogical conclusion of wishing to close a school which Estyn said was improving educationally, where pupil numbers were increasing, where the school served as the Welsh-medium heart of the community, which acted as a safe haven for pupils with additional learning needs, and where the council would save almost no money at all by closing it.

“However, when we followed the initial stages of the consultation process, it became clear that officials were treating all rural schools under review as problems from the start, and data was collected to back up the preconception. In presenting the legislation to the Senedd in 2018, the then Secretary for Education, Kirsty Williams, emphasised that proposing closure of a rural school should always be the ‘last resort’, but it is now being treated as the solution of choice.”

He added that the organisation welcomed signs the council was taking seriously an alternative proposal from the school’s governors to develop a costed community hub alongside the school, working in cooperation with neighbouring schools.

Council response

Carmarthenshire County Council has previously stated that it has a statutory duty to review school provision to ensure education is delivered in suitable facilities and remains sustainable for the future. The authority says proposals are developed following detailed assessments, including pupil numbers, building condition, financial considerations and long-term viability.

The council has also confirmed that consultation responses, including alternative proposals, will be considered before any final decision is made by elected members.

The consultation process remains ongoing.