Cardiff has the largest overall borrowing, while Wrexham records the highest debt per resident among Wales’ 22 principal councils

WELSH local authority bodies are carrying debts of almost £6.7 billion, according to new figures which have prompted warnings about the long-term burden being placed on taxpayers.

Research published by the TaxPayers’ Alliance puts total local authority debt in Wales at £6.698 billion during 2025-26.

The campaign group said that amount was equivalent to nearly 2.94 million average Welsh Band D council tax bills, based on an average annual charge of £2,283.

The figures were compiled from UK Government borrowing and investment data for the final quarter of the financial year.

Wales’ 22 county and county borough councils accounted for around £6.55 billion of the total, with additional borrowing attributed to other local authority bodies.

Cardiff Council recorded the largest debt among Welsh councils at £1.148 billion, followed by Swansea at £629.2 million and Wrexham at £542.5 million.

Carmarthenshire Council had debts of £434.1 million, while Flintshire recorded £362.3 million and Powys £361.9 million.

However, the picture changes when debt is calculated according to population.

Wrexham had the highest council debt per resident in Wales at approximately £3,924, followed by Denbighshire at £3,431 and Merthyr Tydfil at £3,049.

Cardiff’s debt was equivalent to £2,989 per resident, while Powys recorded approximately £2,680 and Swansea £2,504.

What about Pembrokehire?

In Pembrokeshire, the figures show total council debt of £201.794 million, equivalent to approximately £1,605 for every resident.

Of Pembrokeshire’s total, £170.194 million was recorded as borrowing from the Public Works Loan Board, the government body which provides loans to councils and other public organisations.

Pembrokeshire ranked 12th among Wales’ 22 principal councils for total debt and 15th when borrowing was calculated per resident.

The figures do not, however, mean that each household personally owes the amount calculated per resident.

Council borrowing is commonly used to finance long-term capital projects such as schools, council housing, roads, leisure facilities and regeneration schemes.

Under the prudential borrowing framework, Welsh councils are permitted to borrow for capital purposes provided they judge that the repayments are affordable. Welsh Government figures state that authorities can borrow without specific government consent where they can afford to service the debt.

Audit Wales has also stressed that capital spending is essential for providing services, including the construction of schools, improvements to libraries, social care equipment and the maintenance of public buildings.

However, borrowing must eventually be repaid, and interest and repayment costs can place continuing pressure on the annual budgets used to fund frontline services.

Across the UK, local authority debt reached a record £154.6 billion during 2025-26, an increase of £6 billion, or 4.1 per cent, compared with the previous year.

The TaxPayers’ Alliance said council debt had risen by £84.6 billion since 2009-10, representing a cash increase of 121 per cent.

Around £116 billion, or three quarters of the UK total, was borrowed from the Public Works Loan Board.

John O’Connell, chief executive of the TaxPayers’ Alliance, described the level of local authority debt as a “ticking time bomb” and called for councils to bring their borrowing under control.

He said taxpayers ultimately risked being left responsible for obligations accumulated through borrowing, statutory service pressures and, in some parts of the UK, unsuccessful commercial investments.

The figures should nevertheless be treated as a measure of gross borrowing rather than a complete assessment of the financial health of an individual council.

They do not deduct councils’ cash balances or investments, assess the value of assets funded through borrowing, or show the interest rates, repayment dates and annual servicing costs attached to each loan.

A council with substantial borrowing may also hold valuable housing, property and infrastructure assets, while an authority with less debt can still face serious pressure because of falling reserves, rising demand or an ongoing budget deficit.

The findings are likely to increase pressure on Welsh councils to provide clearer information showing what their borrowing has funded, how much taxpayers are paying each year in interest and repayments, and whether those costs remain affordable as spending pressures continue to grow.

Farmers urged to review dry cow nutrition as grazing shortages and heat stress increase pre-calving risks

DAIRY farmers preparing autumn-calving cows are being urged to pay close attention to pre-calving nutrition as prolonged hot and dry weather reduces grazing availability and increases the risk of heat stress.

Dr Alison Bond, Technical Services Manager at Rumenco, said the six to eight weeks before calving were particularly important, with farmers needing to maintain suitable body condition and address any nutritional deficiencies.

She said: “Milking cows will naturally be front of mind when farmers are assessing grazing and rationing, but it is important not to forget the dry cows.

“Farmers should assess body condition during late lactation and adjust drying-off dates where necessary. Cows in poorer condition may need to be dried off earlier, with the aim of calving at around body condition score three and in optimum health.”

Where grass is limited, Dr Bond said farmers may need to consider housing dry cows and feeding a ration based on good-quality silage with appropriate supplements.

Careful nutrition during the dry period can help cows make a smooth transition from pregnancy into lactation and reduce the likelihood of problems including difficult calvings, milk fever, mastitis and retained placentas.

It can also affect fertility after calving and the quality of colostrum provided to newborn calves.

Dr Bond said: “Good-quality colostrum is essential during the calf’s most vulnerable period. It helps to prime the immune system and provides protection against challenges such as scour and respiratory disease.

“With the added pressure of heat stress and possible disruption to forage supplies, closer attention to the needs of dry cows will be particularly important this year.”

Farmers who have moved cattle indoors are advised to provide good-quality forage and, where possible, have it analysed for its mineral and trace element content so that any deficiencies can be identified.

Dr Bond said shortages of forage, or changes in its quality, could leave cows more vulnerable to deficiencies in minerals and trace elements during the weeks before calving.

Rumenco recommends using a specialist pre-calving supplement where necessary. The company produces LIFELINE Pre-Calver, available as a mineral bucket or crumb, which is designed to supply vitamins, minerals and trace elements to cows before calving.

The company says the product contains a low-calcium and high-magnesium balance intended to reduce the risk of milk fever and difficult calvings.

Rumenco also says trials have shown improvements in colostrum quality of up to 20 per cent, although farmers should seek independent nutritional or veterinary advice when deciding what supplementation is appropriate for their herd.

Dr Bond added: “Ensuring cows receive the nutrition they need is recommended best practice, particularly when they are facing additional stresses such as extreme heat and reduced grazing.

“Taking action before calving can support the health of the cow, improve calf vigour and help protect future fertility and milk production.”

Community order revoked following failures to comply on two consecutive nights

A CARDIGAN man has been resentenced after admitting breaches of a court-imposed curfew.

Daniel Saunders, aged 28, of Golwg y Castell, appeared before Haverfordwest Magistrates’ Court on Monday, July 13.

The court heard that Saunders had failed to comply with a community order imposed by Ceredigion and Pembrokeshire Magistrates’ Court on November 19, 2025.

He breached the curfew requirement on December 12 and again on December 13, and failed to provide acceptable evidence explaining the breaches within the required period.

Magistrates revoked the original community order and resentenced Saunders under a separate case reference.

A warrant previously issued by Aberystwyth Magistrates’ Court in February was withdrawn following his appearance.

The register provided to the media does not state the terms of the new sentence.