COUNCIL TAX in Ceredigion is expected to rise by 4.7 per cent for the next financial year, following a better-than-expected funding settlement from the Welsh Government that has eased pressure on the county’s budget.

The increase is significantly lower than earlier projections, which had suggested a rise of close to nine per cent, and comes after additional grant funding was secured for local authorities across Wales.

Last year, council tax in Ceredigion rose by 9.3 per cent as part of the 2025–26 budget.

While council tax accounts for only part of the authority’s income, a key element of its funding comes from Aggregate External Finance (AEF) provided by the Welsh Government.

Under the provisional settlement, Ceredigion County Council was initially set to receive a 2.3 per cent uplift—around £3.39m—bringing its total settlement to approximately £150.67m. This placed Ceredigion joint 13th out of Wales’ 22 local authorities.

However, following a subsequent agreement between the Welsh Government and Plaid Cymru, further funding was made available to councils, improving Ceredigion’s financial position.

Speaking last November, before the enhanced settlement was confirmed, council leader Cllr Bryan Davies warned that early estimates suggested an 8.9 per cent council tax rise might be required. Further modelling of service pressures and potential operational savings later reduced that estimate to 6.9 per cent.

The improved funding outlook was outlined to Cabinet in January by the Cabinet Member for Finance and Procurement, Cllr Gareth Davies, who proposed a 4.75 per cent increase as part of a draft budget requirement of £221.493m.

Members of the council’s Corporate Resources Overview and Scrutiny Committee heard on Monday (February 3) that the position had improved again. Additional financial support towards the Mid and West Wales Fire and Rescue Service levy has allowed the projected increase to fall slightly further, to 4.7 per cent.

For a typical Band D household, this would equate to an increase of around £7.39 per month in the next financial year.

The committee agreed to note the revised figure. A formal recommendation on council tax levels will be considered by Cabinet on February 10, with the final budget decision due to be made by full council on March 2.

A CALL for the retrospective conversion of office space previously connected to a Pembrokeshire car hire business to a chocolate factory, a beauty salon and a laundrette has been submitted to county planners

In an application to Pembrokeshire County Council, Mr M Williams, through agent Preseli Planning Ltd, sought retrospective permission for the subdivision of an office on land off Scotchwell Cottage, Cartlett, Haverfordwest into three units forming a chocolate manufacturing, a beauty salon, and a launderette, along with associated works.

A supporting statement said planning history at the site saw a 2018 application for the refurbishment of an existing office building and a change of use from oil depot offices to a hire car office and car/van storage yard, approved back in 2019.

For the chocolate manufacturing by ‘Pembrokeshire Chocolate company,’ as part of the latest scheme it said: “The operation comprises of manufacturing of handmade bespoke flavoured chocolate bars. Historically there was an element of counter sales but this has now ceased. The business sales comprise of online orders and the delivery of produce to local stockist. There are no counter sales from the premises.”

It said the beauty salon “offers treatments, nail services and hairdressing,” operating “on an appointment only basis, with the hairdresser element also offering a mobile service”. It said the third unit of the building functions as a commercial laundrette and ironing services known as ‘West Coast Laundry,’ which “predominantly provides services to holiday cottages, hotels and care homes”.

The statement added: “Beyond the unchanged access the site has parking provision for at least 12 vehicles and a turning area. The building now forms three units which employ two persons per unit. The 12 parking spaces, therefore, provide sufficient provision for staff.

“In terms of visiting members of the public the beauty salon operates on an appointment only basis and based on its small scale can only accommodate two customers at any one time. Therefore, ample parking provision exists to visitors.

“With regard to the chocolate manufacturing and commercial laundrette service these enterprises do not attract visitors but do attract the dropping off laundry and delivery of associated inputs. Drop off and collections associated with the laundry services tend to fall in line with holiday accommodation changeover days, for example Tuesday drop off and collections on the Thursday.

PLANS for a small ‘Japanese courtyard’-style home on the outskirts of Tenby have been given the go-ahead, but the applicant won’t be able to move in until the end of 2029.

In an application recommended for conditional approval at the January meeting of Pembrokeshire Coast National Park’s development management committee, Mr J Beynon sought permission for a one-bedroomed property with provision for home working on a plot adjacent to Delfryn, Serpentine Road.

The scheme was before the committee rather than being delegated to officers as Tenby Town Council had objected to the proposal on the grounds of over-development and the site being very constrained.

An officer report said: “The application site consists of an empty plot on Serpentine Road, within Tenby’s Centre boundary. It is flanked by two, two storey dwellings, one of which is detached. The site is currently overgrown, and there is a garage towards the eastern portion of the plot, although this currently has no roof.”

The scheme includes the need for an affordable housing contribution of £17,500; members hearing final confirmation of which was awaited, with a request for delegated approval by officers on its completion.

The report added: “The design of the dwelling has been carefully chosen to minimise overlooking and provide adequate levels of privacy to the new occupants. A single storey dwelling has been proposed with one bedroom at the western end of the site and a single storey courtyard linked office at the eastern end of the site.

“The design and access statement refers to the type of design being common in Japan and how such a design will enable privacy for both neighbouring properties and for the occupants of the dwelling.”

It went on to say: “The design offers a contemporary approach to a small infill site which will not have a significant impact on the street scene due to its limited height and being set back behind the frontages of both adjacent dwellings.”

An issue complicating the application was a lack of foul water drainage capacity in the area’s sewage network.

It said statutory consultee, Dwr Cymru/Welsh Water “[has] confirmed that there is insufficient capacity in terms of flow passed forward (wet weather capacity) and that this capacity will not be provided until December [31] 2029, and that as such, a condition restricting occupation until the necessary upgrades have been delivered to Tenby and Saundersfoot’s capacity should be imposed to ensure environmental protection”.

Officers recommended delegated approval with such a ‘Grampian Condition,’ along with signing of the affordable housing contribution, be included in any permission.