CCBC costs and cutting

[SteveH]

COUNCIL tax in Conwy is set to rise by nearly 10 per cent for the second year running, meaning residents are likely to pay almost 20 per cent more in April 2024 than they paid in March 2023.

The proposed rise is included in a report set to be debated at a finance committee meeting on Monday, February 19 before the budget is set by full council on February 29.

If agreed, a resident living in a band D property will now pay ?1,733.37 a year ? before police and town council precepts are added. 

full article......... https://www.denbighshirefreepress.co.uk/news/24121157.council-tax-rise-nearly-10-conwy-residents-set-agreed/?ref=rss&IYA-reg=49560bcd-5a9c-47f0-8fc5-ba2e71710589

[SteveH]

COUNCIL tax will increase in Conwy in the 2024-25 financial year as council members attempt to ?do everything we can to protect vital services?.

Members of Conwy County Borough Council have today (February 29) set the budget and council tax for 2024-25.

Councillors supported the recommendation that the council?s part of the ?band D? council tax for 2024-25 be ?1,733.37.

This is an increase of ?152.84 for the year - equivalent to ?2.94 extra per week.

READ MORE: ......... https://www.northwalespioneer.co.uk/news/24153827.council-tax-rise-conwy-local-authority-left-8m-gap/

[SteveH]

Cabinet branded 'cloth-eared' after huge council tax rise and school cuts voted through

Conwy leaders slammed but they say they are being forced into difficult decisions due to a poor funding settlement

cont https://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/north-wales-news/cabinet-branded-cloth-eared-after-28730456

[SteveH]

PLANS for a new waste recycling transfer station in Llandudno Junction were questioned at a Conwy Council meeting this week ? after councillors spoke openly about collaborating with neighbouring Denbighshire.

Conwy has applied to its own planning department, seeking permission for the waste transfer station at Plot 2, Ffordd Maelgwyn, a vacant site formerly used as a car-breaking yard.

If granted permission, the station will be used as a collection point where vehicles and containers will be emptied and waste checked.

cont https://www.denbighshirefreepress.co.uk/news/24160141.new-conwy-recycling-centre-questioned/?ref=rss&IYA-reg=49560bcd-5a9c-47f0-8fc5-ba2e71710589

[SteveH]

'Hissing, booing, bullying and heckling' during Welsh council debate sparks complaint
Lively exchanges over Conwy's budget has sparked accusations of 'intimidation' and 'harassment'

cont https://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/north-wales-news/hissing-booing-bullying-heckling-during-28751060

[SteveH]

AN EQUALITY report has revealed 78% of Conwy?s staff believe the council?s flexible approach to working improves their work-life balance.

An employment monitoring report presented to Conwy?s cabinet by Cllr Chris Cater gave a breakdown of the demographic of who the authority employs as part of a 2022/23 equality report.

The report said 73% of Conwy?s workforce are female compared to just 27% male, and the figures include permanent, fixed term, and casual employees.

But the report stated many council staff were happy with the authority?s flexible approach to working.

full report..... https://www.northwalespioneer.co.uk/news/24185044.78-per-cent-conwy-council-staff-happy-flexible-work/?ref=rss&IYA-reg=49560bcd-5a9c-47f0-8fc5-ba2e71710589

[Cambrian]

I read this again and wondered if I'm missing something.  If 73% of Conwy CBC staff are female and and "just" 27% are male, one wonders as to the purpose of this "Equality" report.  Perhaps Cllr Cater could say what is proposed to be done to address the apparent sexual inequality.  After all, if our friends are insisting they want 50% female MSs why should Conwy be any different ?

[SteveH]

COUNCILLORS voted 13-0 in favour of a 5.7 per cent pay rise which is set by an independent body........

The hike mean?s Conwy council?s leader and deputy leader will take home an extra ?3,598 and ?2,519 respectively.

Cabinet members will get an extra ?2,159 a year whilst the basic salary for backbenchers has also increased by ?1,066.

The rise means Conwy ?s leader and deputy leader have received ?13,024 and ?8,779 respectively over a three-year period. The remuneration package was debated at a democratic services committee meeting in Bodlondeb today.

read more ...https://www.northwalespioneer.co.uk/news/24194198.large-pay-increase-conwy-councillors-cuts/?ref=rss&IYA-reg=49560bcd-5a9c-47f0-8fc5-ba2e71710589

[SteveH]

Council tax payers across Wales are currently in the process of finding out what their bills will be for the coming financial year - with big hikes across the nation from April. Many households are seeing near 10% increases in their council tax bills for the coming year.

The average Band D increase for Wales is ?145(a 7.7% rise), made up of ?122 for county councils and ?23 for police. Pembrokeshire has the largest overall percentage increase of 11.2%. Torfaen has the smallest overall band D percentage increase of 5.4%

Read more and stats.... https://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/north-wales-news/how-your-council-tax-bill-28860483

[DVT]

Received my statement the other day - band C single-occupancy - ?124pm risen to ?142pm ... a rise of near 15% - that's a bit more than the claimed "near 10%".

[Robert2020]

Wish mine was that....I'm on Westshore in an 'f' band and the new total is 3092?...or 258 month (12) up from 237 I see that the town council get 83 and the police 505 from that figure.

My son lives in Didsbury ( South Manchester) bins are emptied weekly, no extra charge for the garden bin, local tip which takes everything without an appointment and a tram/bus system which puts our Arriva to shame and his rates on a 650k  3 bed semi are  2200.
 
Before we moved here we had a second home for 10yrs  near the tram station and we love Llandudno so decided to reside here....just around the time councils decided a premium was to be added to second homes. This year it is 100% on the whole amount.

My wife's brother has a second home in the town and his new rates bill will be around 4400?, he owned it before covid and couldn't use it during that time but still had to pay the premium.

The interesting thing is although the premium is on the whole amount the police and town council don't get the extra....it all goes to the council... they love the premium.

He's here most weekends and spends money in the town...does not use the schools, social services or even his waste bin ( takes the rubbish home) this premium goes into the housing budget yet today I saw three tents on Westshore with homeless camping.

I do think its time for a rethink on the cost of rates on properties and the way in which the council spend / allocate money...

The Welsh government also need to do more .take a look at the money spent at the three roundabouts they have just removed the bushes from to prevent birds carrying the seed to limestone outcrops , the money spent on a cycle lanes on the main routes into the area, tens of thousands for project's that few people will use at those locations, meanwhile roads are falling apart, the local NHS always failing and in special measures.

I?m sure worse is coming, the WA have been doing a revaluation of all domestic properties and it sounds like in 2025 there will be more bands and thus some of us will be paying even more.

[Hugo]

I'm in the same boat as you Robert,  Band F and rates payable of 307.00 per month but we don't have the luxury of street lights,  road surfaces, pavements or surface water drainage.   Plus half the houses in the road are on septic tanks and the remainder on main drainage
You only have to look at reports on the forum and you can see the costly blunders that CCBC has made and continues to do so
What I don't like is the idea of Wales having a revaluation of the Council Tax bands.   Wales, like Scotland had a revaluation some years ago but England for some reason didn't have one and they certainly won't talk about it in this election year

[SteveH]

Well said, I agree completely with the above comments, especially the waste and misuse of our taxes.

[SteveH]

Conwy will introduce charges at two of its free car parks this week. And prices are set to increase at all Conwy ?s pay-and-display car parks from Friday (March 29), in time for the busy bank holiday weekend.

The extra cost to drivers follows the authority slashing front-line service budgets and increasing council tax by 9.67%. The cash-strapped authority is blaming the Welsh Government for the move after receiving the joint lowest rise in Wales of its annual local government settlement.

Free car parks at Llanfairfechan promenade and Plas yn Dre in Llanrwst will see parking charges introduced from 80p for one hour, ?1.60 for two, ?3.60 for up to four hours, ?5 for over four hours, and ?6.20 for 24 hours. Drivers will even be charged ?1.20 to park overnight. New increased pay-and-display charges will also be introduced across the county but will vary car park to car park.

cont https://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/north-wales-news/free-car-parks-conwy-set-28887652

[SteveH]

Update on above.........

Readers react to decision to charge at Conwy?s free car parks

EARLIER THIS week, Conwy County Borough Council announced it will introduce charges at two of its free car parks ? and the decision has been met with fierce criticism.

cont plus comments.... https://www.northwalespioneer.co.uk/news/24218785.readers-react-decision-charge-conwys-free-car-parks/?ref=rss&IYA-reg=49560bcd-5a9c-47f0-8fc5-ba2e71710589