Janet Finch-Saunders MS/AS, Member of the Senedd for Aberconwy, has strongly condemned warnings that council tax in Conwy could rise by as much as 16.7%.
Concerns were raised at a Conwy County Borough Council finance scrutiny committee, where councillors were told the authority faces a £20.6 million budget gap for 2026/27. Even after factoring in a provisional uplift from the Welsh Government, the council is still facing a projected shortfall of around £14 million after three years of service cuts and council tax rises of nearly 10%.
Warnings have been issued that this could equate to a starting position for a council tax increase of more than £300 per household, placing further pressure on families and older residents already struggling with rising living costs.
Janet commented:
“Any council tax rise of this scale would place a huge burden on families and the elderly in Conwy. With households potentially facing an extra £300 or more, many people could struggle to make ends meet, and some could even be pushed into poverty.
I strongly condemn the approach being considered by the new council leadership. Residents deserve better than being forced to pay for what is effectively a financial shortfall created by poor planning and mismanagement.
The public must have a say in this. Conwy residents should not be made to shoulder this burden; their voices must be heard regarding unfair council tax hikes.”
Mae Janet Finch-Saunders AS, Aelod o'r Senedd dros Aberconwy, wedi bod yn feirniadol iawn o’r rhybuddion y gallai'r dreth gyngor yng Nghonwy godi cymaint â 16.7%.
Codwyd pryderon mewn pwyllgor craffu cyllid Cyngor Bwrdeistref Sirol Conwy, lle dywedwyd wrth gynghorwyr bod yr awdurdod yn wynebu bwlch cyllideb o £20.6 miliwn ar gyfer 2026/27. Hyd yn oed ar ôl ystyried cynnydd dros dro gan Lywodraeth Cymru, mae'r cyngor yn dal i wynebu diffyg rhagamcanedig o tua £14 miliwn ar ôl tair blynedd o doriadau i wasanaethau a chynnydd treth gyngor o bron i 10%.
Mae rhybuddion wedi’u cyhoeddi y gallai hyn gyfateb i safle cychwynnol o gynnydd o fwy na £300 yr aelwyd yn y dreth gyngor, gan roi pwysau pellach ar deuluoedd a thrigolion hŷn sydd eisoes yn cael trafferth gyda chostau byw cynyddol.
Meddai Janet:
"Byddai unrhyw godiad yn y dreth gyngor o'r raddfa hon yn rhoi baich enfawr ar deuluoedd a'r henoed yng Nghonwy. Gydag aelwydydd o bosibl yn wynebu cynnydd o £300 neu fwy, gallai llawer o bobl gael trafferth gwneud penderfyniadau, a gallai rhai hyd yn oed gael eu gwthio i dlodi.
Rwy'n feirniadol iawn o’r ffordd y mae arweinyddiaeth newydd y cyngor yn ystyried gweithio. Mae trigolion yn haeddu gwell na chael eu gorfodi i dalu am yr hyn sy'n ddiffyg ariannol wedi’i greu gan gynllunio gwael a chamreoli.
Rhaid i'r cyhoedd gael dweud eu dweud yn hyn o beth. Ni ddylid gorfodi trigolion Conwy i ysgwyddo'r baich hwn; rhaid clywed eu lleisiau ynglŷn â chynnydd annheg yn y dreth gyngor."
