News
Why is Pembrokeshire looking at a massive council tax hike?
SENIOR Pembrokeshire councillors are expected to call for council tax increase as high as 21 per cent next week against a backdrop of the council facing its worst-ever financial position.
Pembrokeshire is currently facing a projected funding gap of £31.9m, by far the largest funding gap ever seen by the council.
This figure is even bleaker in the next few years; the projected funding gap for the Medium Term Financial Plan 2024-25 to 2027-28 is £82.2m.
A report before Pembrokeshire County Council’s Cabinet, meeting on February 12 says: “This projected funding gap will need to be bridged through a combination of an increase in council tax, use of council tax premiums and budget savings.
“Any use of reserve funding will only be considered where there is a clear plan in place to reduce base budgets by the levels required for 2025-26 onwards and to replenish the reserve balances over the term of the Medium Term Financial Plan, in line with the Strategy for Holding and Utilising Reserves.”
In total, Pembrokeshire is facing financial pressures totalling £41.3m, partly offset by funding – some of which is yet to be fully confirmed – bringing that figure down to £31.9m.
Simple options to address this gap are
- to cut expenditure, which would require £31.9m in savings
- increase funding through a council tax rise alone, which would need an eye-watering 42 per cent rise
- a combination of the two, which is proposed.
Cabinet members are asked to recommend one of three options for a council tax increase, along with large budget savings.
The increases range from 16.31 per cent, 18.94 per cent, to a 20.98 per cent increase.
These increases would raise the annual council tax bill by £219.02, £254.34, and £281.73 respectively for the average Band D property.
Associated savings needed for the three levels would be £12.8m, £10.9m, and £9.3m.
A report for members stated: “Any Band D Council Tax increase below 16.31 per cent will have very significant impact, including statutory failure in some service areas and so is not considered to be a financially sustainable option.”
The report said options for a 15 and 12.5 per cent council tax increase were modelled, but “this would have resulted in very significant budget savings being required and some services no longer being able to meet their statutory requirements”.
One of the reasons for the financial situation in Pembrokeshire – and in neighbouring Ceredigion – is a lower-than-expected Provisional Local Government Settlement from Welsh Government.
Every year the Welsh Government allocates funding for each local authority, and for 2024-25 Pembrokeshire will only receive a 2.5 per cent increase in that funding against a 14.4 per cent increase in service costs.
This equates to £5.3m additional Aggregate External Finance (AEF) funding for Pembrokeshire County Council, £1.3m lower than assumptions of a 3.1 per cent increase.
This lower than-expected settlement is part of a general decline in central government support for councils, council Leader David Simpson has said.
“During the past decade, funding levels from UK Government to Welsh Government and on to councils have not kept pace with the ever-increasing pressures.
“Due to this, we have had to make significant budget savings of £96.7 million over this time, supported by your suggestions in our annual budget consultation. We have always endeavoured to minimise the impact to service users, especially the most vulnerable in our communities.”
Council Tax accounts for 26.05 per cent of the council’s general funding, with more reliance on council tax funding due to AEF reductions during the austerity period whilst council tax increased.
Council tax accounted for only 18.4 per cent in 2013-14.
Pembrokeshire is also facing an “unprecedented” increase in demand for both adult and children’s social care that has added more than £23m in pressures.
In five years, children’s social care costs have risen from six per cent of the budget to 10.3 per cent.
Social care and education costs now make up 78 per cent of overall pressures with social care costs exceeding education costs for the first time this year, Council Leader David Simpson has said.
In 2024/25 the budget for social care will be more than all other services combined, excluding schools.
There has also been a huge increase in the number of people needing temporary accommodation, from 78 in March 2019 to 507 in March 2023, leading to a £1.145m pressure for 2024/25.
Another issue in Pembrokeshire has been historically low levels of council tax, the county still having the lowest rate in Wales, despite having increases of 12.5%, 9.92%, 5.00%, 3.75%, 5.00% and 7.50% since 2018-19.
The average Band D base council tax for Pembrokeshire is £1,342.86, compared to Ceredigion and Carmarthenshire at £1,553.60 and £1,490.97 respectively.
If the council had Ceredigion’s level of council tax for 2023-24, it would have had an additional £11.758m income and if it had Carmarthenshire’s it would have had an additional £8.264m.
Ceredigion County Council Cabinet’s has proposed a 13.9 per cent increase in council tax, which would take a Band D property to £1,769.55 per year; if Pembrokeshire increased its Band D rate to £1,769.55 it would generate an additional £23.902m.
The final decision on the council tax level – and any savings – will be made by full council when it sets the annual budget on March 7.
Neighbouring Ceredigion will make its final decision on February 29.
Business
Pub rate relief welcomed but closures still feared
CAMRA warns one-year discount is only a sticking plaster as many Welsh locals face rising bills
A BUSINESS rates discount for Welsh pubs has been welcomed as a step in the right direction — but campaigners warn it will not be enough to stop more locals from shutting their doors.
The Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA) says the Welsh Government’s decision to offer a 15 per cent reduction on business rates bills for the coming year will provide short-term breathing space for struggling publicans.
However, it believes the move fails to tackle deeper problems in the rating system that continue to pile pressure on community pubs across Wales, including in Pembrokeshire and Carmarthenshire.
Chris Charters, Director of CAMRA Wales, said: “Today’s announcement from the Finance Secretary that pubs will get 15% discount on their business rates bills is a welcome step.
“However, many pubs still face big hikes in their bills due to the rates revaluation which could still lead to more of our locals in Wales being forced to close for good.
“15% off for a year is only the start of supporting pubs with business rates. It won’t fix the unfair business rates system our pubs are being crushed by.”
He added: “Welsh publicans need a permanent solution, or doors will continue to close and communities will be shut away from these essential social hubs that help tackle loneliness and isolation.”
Mounting pressure on locals
Under plans announced by the Welsh Government, pubs will receive a temporary discount on their rates bills for the next financial year.
But CAMRA argues that many premises are simultaneously facing sharp increases following the latest revaluation, which recalculates rateable values based on property size and trading potential.
For some smaller, rural venues, especially those already operating on tight margins, the increases could wipe out the benefit of the relief entirely.
Publicans say they are also contending with rising energy costs, higher wages, supplier price hikes and changing customer habits since the pandemic.
In west Wales, several long-standing village pubs have either reduced their opening hours or put their businesses on the market in the past year, with landlords warning that overheads are becoming unsustainable.
Community role
Campaigners stress that the issue goes beyond beer sales.
Pubs are often described as the last remaining social spaces in small communities — hosting charity events, sports teams, live music and local groups.
In parts of rural Pembrokeshire, a pub can be the only public meeting place left after the loss of shops, banks and post offices.
CAMRA says supermarkets and online retailers enjoy structural advantages that traditional pubs cannot match, making it harder for locals to compete on price.
The organisation is now calling on ministers to introduce a permanently lower business rates multiplier for pubs, rather than relying on short-term discounts.
Long-term reform call
CAMRA wants whoever forms the next Welsh administration to commit to fundamental reform of the rating system, arguing that pubs should be recognised as community assets rather than treated like large commercial premises.
Without change, it warns, the number of closures is likely to accelerate.
Charters said: “This is about protecting the future of our locals. Once a pub shuts, it rarely reopens. We can’t afford to lose any more.”
For many communities across west Wales, the fear is simple: temporary relief may buy time — but it may not be enough to save the local.
Local Government
Council tax rise options to be debated by Cabinet
Leader signals support for lower increase as schools set for £4.7m boost
PEMBROKESHIRE COUNTY COUNCIL’S Cabinet will next week consider how much residents will be asked to pay in Council Tax as part of the authority’s 2026–27 budget setting process.
Members of Pembrokeshire County Council will meet on Monday (Feb 9) to examine two proposed options: a 4.6 per cent increase, equivalent to £1.46 per week for a Band D property, or a 7.5 per cent rise, equal to £2.38 per week.
Council leader Jon Harvey said the authority aimed to keep any rise as low as possible while protecting frontline services.
“In setting this year’s budget it’s our intention to ask the least possible from tax paying residents while still providing the vital services they rely upon,” he said.
He added that he expects Cabinet to favour the lower increase when it makes its recommendation to full council.
Mr Harvey said the lower option would still allow the authority to safeguard services and provide “significantly more money” for schools, with an additional £4.7 million earmarked for education.
He also highlighted the need for further investment in highways, building maintenance and street cleaning teams.
“We know these services are important to residents and so we intend to prioritise them,” he said.
The leader said the financial pressures created by the pandemic, rising costs and increasing demand for social care had led to unavoidable tax increases in recent years.
However, he added: “Going forward, I am very aware we cannot keep asking residents to pay significantly more and it is our intention to get back to Council Tax increases that are broadly in line with inflation.”
The Cabinet meeting starts at 10:00am and will be broadcast live via the council’s usual webcast platform.
Business
Haworth Autobody earns Which? Trusted Trader status
Family-run repair centre praised for workmanship, transparency and customer care
A FAMILY-RUN vehicle repair business has been recognised for its high standards of workmanship and customer service after securing national accreditation from Which? as a Trusted Trader.
Haworth Autobody Ltd, based in Haverfordwest, has built a loyal customer base through years of careful, precision repairs and a straightforward, customer-first approach. To earn the endorsement, the company underwent a detailed independent assessment examining not only technical skill and repair standards, but also business procedures, complaint handling systems and verified customer feedback.
The Which? Trusted Trader scheme is widely regarded as one of the most robust consumer approval programmes in the UK. Successful applicants must follow a strict code of conduct and agree to ongoing monitoring, with only a small proportion of businesses achieving the status.
Owner Bobby Haworth said the accreditation reflects values the company has always tried to uphold.
“We’ve always believed that doing the job properly, being upfront with customers and standing by our work is the only way to operate,” he said. “To have that approach independently recognised by Which? means a great deal to us and gives customers extra confidence when they choose us.”
For motorists, the recognition offers added peace of mind at a time when trust and transparency in vehicle repairs are more important than ever. Customers can expect clear communication throughout the process, honest and detailed estimates, and repairs carried out to a consistently high standard.
The workshop handles a wide range of services, including accident damage repairs, paintwork restoration and cosmetic bodywork, with an emphasis on quality workmanship and attention to detail.
Mr Haworth said the endorsement was not a finishing line but a foundation for continued improvement.
“We’re continuing to invest in staff training, modern equipment and new techniques to make sure standards stay high as we grow,” he added.
With consumer confidence increasingly tied to independent verification and proven reliability, the latest recognition reinforces Haworth Autobody’s standing as a trusted name in local vehicle repair.
Haworth Autobody Ltd
Unit 7, Snowdrop Lane, Haverfordwest, Pembrokeshire SA61 1ET
Tel: 01437 779911
Mobile: 07723 011847
Web: www.habody.com
-
Health5 days agoConsultation reveals lack of public trust in health board
-
News6 days agoCaldey still unsafe, survivors warn — despite Abbey’s reform claims
-
Community6 days agoPembrokeshire students speak at national Holocaust Memorial Day event
-
News5 hours agoPrincess of Wales visits historic Pembrokeshire woollen mill
-
News6 days agoKurtz raises Gumfreston flooding in the Senedd as petition deadline nears
-
Community5 days agoCampaign to ‘save’ River Cleddau hits over 2,200 signatures
-
Education6 days ago‘Vulnerable teen’ questioned by police at Milford Haven School
-
Crime4 days agoPembroke man accused of child sex offences sent to Swansea Crown Court









