Budget statement following 5.3.25 Full Council meeting

At tonight’s Full Council meeting elected members approved the Budget Requirement and Council Tax for the coming financial year. This includes a 5.5% increase in Council Tax for Merthyr Tydfil residents.

During the meeting, Councillor Anna Williams-Price, Cabinet Member for Governance and Resources, said: “For the upcoming financial year, we propose a budget requirement of £172.513 million, which ensures that we can continue to deliver essential services. However, achieving a balanced budget has required difficult decisions, strategic planning, and a focus on efficiency.

“We face increased demand across all the directorates of the local authority with certain areas experiencing intense need, such as provisions for additional learning needs, homelessness, and social care.

“In the interim, this council tax proposal and use of reserves will allow us to deliver increased budgets in priority areas for residents:

“Education: An increase in the education budget to £68.599 million ensuring that schools receive the necessary funding to support our children and young people.

“Social Services: A rise to £51.448 million, addressing the growing demand for adult and children’s social care services.

“This budget has been carefully structured to prioritize the most essential services, aligning with public consultation feedback.”