CCBC costs and cutting

[SteveH]

North Wales council's 9.9% tax hike likened to a 'hurricane' that is set to 'hit the poorest hardest'
Conwy council agreed earlier his week to raise council tax and raid its reserve as it battles to balance the books

Conwy?s desperate financial situation has been likened to 'a hurricane' following the council?s decision to raise council tax by 9.9%. At Thursday?s meeting at Bodlondeb, cabinet member for finance Cllr Mike Priestley made the analogy as he explained the authority had been forced to raid its reserves for extra cash.

Despite financial warnings from officers against raiding reserves, the council took ?720,000 from its savings to fund a late additional local government pay offer for staff, adding to the authority?s financial problems. Conwy has in the region of ?25m in its reserves.

cont https://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/north-wales-news/north-wales-councils-99-tax-26381207?IYA-reg=49560bcd-5a9c-47f0-8fc5-ba2e71710589

[SteveH]

What you had to say about councillors in Conwy approving Wales' biggest council tax increase
The near ten percent council tax rise has caused some discontent in the county

CCBC has come under fire after voting through Wales' highest council tax increase. A number of North Wales Live readers have questioned how locals will be able to afford the extra outgoings amid the cost-of-living crisis.

cont https://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/north-wales-news/what-you-say-councillors-conwy-26400942

[SteveH]

The rise in councillors' salaries in Conwy has been criticised in the wake of an agreed 9.9% increase in council tax. The increases, which are set by the Independent Remuneration Panel for Wales (IRPW) rather than the council, come as councillors approved Wales' biggest council tax increase.

The proposals are detailed in the IRPW's annual report but will have to be voted on by the council in the coming weeks. Now Aberconwy MS Janet Finch-Saunders has said the pay rise is "in poor taste" following the council setting a 9.9% council tax increase whilst cutting services? budgets by 10%.

Only education and social services were spared the 10% cuts and told to make 5% budget reductions - with the prospect of school redundancies on the horizon. Ms Finch-Saunders said: "I'm quite surprised to hear they are having yet another pay increase because it's not that long ago that they had one."

"The role of council leader is a very responsible one but, given they have imposed a 9.9% council tax increase, the highest in Wales, it's not going to go down too well with my constituents that councillors are then accepting the remuneration board's recommendations. It's not just the council leader; it's the deputy leader.

"It's not acceptable. They are having these frequent increases. It's in very poor taste if councillors accept this rise."

The changes mean a basic councillor salary will rise from ?16,800 a year to ?17,600. But the leader will be paid ?59,400, rising from ?56,700 last year and ?49,974 in 2022/21, meaning the position has enjoyed a ?9,426 pay rise in the space of two years.

The deputy leader will also receive ?41,580, a rise from ?39,690. The position was paid ?35,320 in 2022/21. Cabinet members will be paid ?35,640, rising from ?34,020. Cabinet members were paid ?30,773 in 2021/22.

What do you think of the proposals? Leave your thoughts in the comments section below.

Civic heads will also see their pay increase from ?25,593 to ?26,400. The deputy civic head's salary will increase from ?20,540 to ?21,340.

cont https://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/north-wales-news/pay-rise-conwy-councillors-criticised-26398298

[norman08]

I don?t agree with the rise. But it?s a bit rich from finch. She didn?t sniff at taking 18% rise the other year, last year and this a smaller %, and bear in mind she is the highest claimer in expenses.

[SteveH]

Conwy leader defends councillor pay rises in wake of 9.9% council tax hike
Some councillors have argued those in senior council positions should take a pay cut

The salary increase is set by the Independent Remuneration Panel for Wales (IRPW), not Conwy itself, although individual councillors can choose not to accept the amount. This means a councillor?s basic salary will rise from ?16,800 a year to ?17,600 a year ? with the leader set to receive ?59,400, rising from ?56,700.

The deputy leader?s pay will also rise to ?41,580 from ?39,690, and cabinet members will be paid ?35,640, rising from ?34,020. Civic heads will also see their pay increase from ?25,593 to ?26,400.

The pay rises are controversial in light of Conwy opting to up council tax by 9.9% whilst cutting most services? budgets by 10%. Cllr David Carr and Cllr Anne McCaffrey proposed that the committee recommended that council looked at cutting extra allowances paid to all committee chairs, but this was thrown out.

Instead the committee voted to note the proposed pay rise but recommended the council looked at cutting the extra allowances paid to the chair of the democratic services committee and the vice chair of the council. But discussions got heated when some councillors said the cabinet should look at cutting its numbers down from ten and even suggested the leader opt to cut the deputy leader?s pay.

Conwy?s leader Cllr Charlie McCoubrey, though, said he needed a strong cabinet, which meant positions and pay needed to be protected. ?We have faced enormous challenges,? said Cllr McCoubrey.   

cont https://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/north-wales-news/conwy-leader-defends-councillor-pay-26463667?IYA-reg=49560bcd-5a9c-47f0-8fc5-ba2e71710589

[SteveH]

CLWYD West MS Darren Millar is calling for referendums on excessive council tax rises in Wales.

It follows a controversial 9.9 per cent council tax hike in Conwy, where residents are facing the highest council tax increase in England and Wales.

Mr Millar has written to the Minister for Finance and Local Government urging her to provide residents with a chance to have their say, as is the case in England.

He said: ?This council tax increase at almost 10 per cent is the largest in England and Wales and will put many residents under immense financial pressure.

https://www.northwalespioneer.co.uk/news/23389365.ms-proposes-referendum-conwy-council-tax-hike/


Conwy council accused of paying its own care homes 57% more than private homes
But the authority has disputed the analysis made by Care Forum Wales and the conclusions drawn

The question was submitted to the council by the owner of the 22-bed Woodcroft Care Home in Old Colwyn, Andrew Snook, who is also a member of the CFW. The authority?s response showed they had earmarked a budget of approximately ?1,136 per resident per week at the council-owned Llys Elian care home in Colwyn Bay.

In contrast, the council were only paying just over half of that amount - ?721 - towards the care costs of the vulnerable residents in privately-run care homes in Conwy. According to CFW, that means the council gave themselves over ?20,000 more per resident this year than they paid to an independent care home.

cont https://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/north-wales-news/council-accused-paying-care-homes-26479466

[SteveH]

Cabbies complain taxi prices in Conwy are no longer sustainable
A public consultation over new Hackney fares will now take place

A public consultation on taxi prices in Conwy will go ahead after cabbies complained that the current rate is unsustainable. But one councillor fears taxi fares increasing could hit those on low incomes who can?t afford a car.

A debate on the matter unfolded at Bodlondeb this week when Conwy?s licensing committee met. There, the committee discussed the maximum rate Hackney taxis are allowed to charge.

Lisa Roberts, of Castle Cabs, wrote to Conwy County Council's licensing department, requesting that taxi firms were allowed to increase fares due to inflation. Speaking via video link, Mrs Roberts said whilst private taxi hire was still profitable, Hackney taxi fares - taxis plying their trade on the street ? were no longer sustainable.

cont https://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/north-wales-news/cabbies-complain-taxi-prices-conwy-26531309?IYA-reg=49560bcd-5a9c-47f0-8fc5-ba2e71710589

[SteveH]

Conwy Band D council tax rise highest in Wales, figures confirm
Residents pay ?85 over national average

The statistics reveal Conwy has the largest overall band D percentage increase in Wales at 8.9%. This compares to the smallest band D increase of 2.7% in Torfaen.

cont https://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/north-wales-news/conwy-band-d-council-tax-26553934

[SteveH]

Readers all say the same thing about Conwy Council's 'horrendous' money problem
We asked - and you definitely didn't hold back

In Conwy Council's case, no savings plan is set in stone and anything put forward will need to be approved by its cabinet. And if members of that same cabinet want to seek re-election, they would do well to consult with their county's constituents on any plans they come up with.

To get a head-start on things, we asked North Wales Live readers for their opinion on the developments which emerged from the council chambers this week and received a number of responses from people eager to have their say. First, we asked people for their thoughts on the schools discussion.

This is how you answered - and the results were a bit tighter than we expected:............
https://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/north-wales-news/readers-say-same-thing-conwy-26648282?IYA-reg=49560bcd-5a9c-47f0-8fc5-ba2e71710589

[SteveH]

A RESTRUCTURING of parliamentary constituencies by the Boundary Commission for Wales will see Colwyn Bay and Rhyl under the same jurisdiction.

Welsh constituencies have been reduced from the current total of 40 to 32; this will come into force following the next general election (no later than January 2025).

The commission?s final recommendations will take effect automatically after the next election, without the need for parliamentary or government approval.

Among its changes is the formation of a new ?Clwyd North? constituency, comprising Denbigh, Rhyl, St Asaph, Abergele, Colwyn Bay, Rhos-on-Sea, Mochdre and Pentre-Mawr.

A ?Clwyd East? constituency will include parts of Wrexham and Flintshire, as well as Dyserth, Prestatyn, Llangollen and Llanbedr Dyffryn Clwyd.

cont https://www.northwalespioneer.co.uk/news/23620907.colwyn-bay-rhyl-constituency-next-general-election/

[SteveH]

CONWY's Coed Pella office in Colwyn Bay has cost taxpayers over ?10.6m in running costs in the last five years.

According to information collected in a freedom of information (FOI) application by a member of the public, Conwy paid out ?1,099,865, ?2,225,144, ?2,406,603, ?2,409,292, and ?2,510,054 in yearly running costs between 2018/19 and 2022/23.

This totals at an almighty ?10,650,958.

During that period, the council, who work ?paperless?, also splashed out ?118,468 on stationary and other office expenses, spending ?42,618, ?29,328, ?12,194, ?16,493, and ?17,835 between 2018/19 and 2022/23 respectively.

cont https://www.northwalespioneer.co.uk/news/23631282.running-costs-conwy-councils-coed-pella-revealed/?ref=rss&IYA-reg=49560bcd-5a9c-47f0-8fc5-ba2e71710589

[SteveH]

Call for council houses to be built to help the poorest people in Conwy
'We've still got a problem because we haven't got the housing for some of the poorest people'

The debate ensued whilst Conwy's cabinet discussed the council's five-year Local Housing Strategy Review and Consultation, which sets out a "strategic vision and priorities for housing". Whilst a report was published in 2018 detailing actions for delivery up to 2023, a new paper outlines the proposed plan to develop the housing strategy between 2024 - 2029.

cont https://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/north-wales-news/call-council-houses-built-help-27308142

[SteveH]

MS Darren Millar is urging Conwy County Council to scrap a planned 70% increase in telecare charges due to be introduced next month. 
The extortionate hike would see residents in Conwy paying the highest telecare charges in the Wales.

The local authority has informed Conwy subscribers that it plans to increase the annual cost of its telecare service from ?182 to ?310.25 from September 1st. The charges in other parts of North Wales are; Anglesey ?223.60; Denbighshire ?204; Flintshire ?137.28; Gwynedd ?269.88; and Wrexham ?293.80.

Darren said the price rise will put a financial strain on many in the county who currently depend on the service and has written to Conwy County Borough Council calling for them to scrap its plans and look again at the proposed hike.
https://www.darrenmillar.wales/news/ms-calls-conwy-council-scrap-unacceptable-70-increase-telecare-charges


A major revamp of a primary school in the ward of the cabinet member for education was called into question by a councillor. Conwy Council county councillor Jo Nuttall wanted to know "for clarity" why funds were earmarked for Ysgol Deganwy when schools across the the county were being asked to slash their budgets.

Cllr Nuttall raised the issue, after the council submitted a planning application for major works at the schoo, which was approved this week at Bodlondeb. Cllr Nuttall contrasted the funding boost with the decidion to impose a 5% cut to all schools which have led to staff redundancies and headmasters making loan applications to the council.
https://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/north-wales-news/primary-school-revamp-questioned-after-27498370

[SteveH]

Conwy Council cabinet member to step down due to family illness
But Llandudno Junction representative Mike Priestley says he will remain active on his ward

cont https://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/north-wales-news/conwy-council-cabinet-member-step-27615800

[SteveH]

Conwy Council faces budget 'catastrophe' with fresh tax rise looking likely
The council is facing a shortfall of up to ?30m in its budget despite a 9.9% increase in council tax last year

Conwy Council is facing a budget shortfall of up to ?30m next year with fresh council tax rises now looking inevitable. But even a 10% rise would only generate an additional ?6.8m - and now the Welsh Government and its "puppets" have been blasted over a formula which dictates council budgets for the next financial year.

At a Conwy Council finance meeting, councillors and officers blamed the huge budget shortfall on the formula used by the Welsh Government to calculate how much Conwy receives in the annual Local Government Settlement. Whilst Cardiff is yet to confirm its final settlement, it has indicated a 3.06% increase across Wales ? or an additional sum of around ?6m for Conwy.

cont https://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/north-wales-news/conwy-council-faces-budget-catastrophe-27629109