Ahead of budget discussions next week, Conwy County Borough Council is facing significant backlash over its proposal to increase Council Tax by 6.5%.
Conwy County Borough Council has proposed to close the £7.968 million resource shortfall with £2.236 million of service cuts, £100,000 from reserves, and £5.632 million from Council Tax.
Janet Finch-Saunders, the Member of the Welsh Parliament for Aberconwy, has condemned this proposal, especially due to the impact this increase will have on residents who are already dealing with rising living costs.
Following this, Janet commented:
“While I welcome the lower proposed increase compared to last year, this rise is adding to the 30% increase in Council Tax over the last three years. Which at the time of the increases, were often the highest across Wales. It will cost hardworking residents, on average, an extra £122.76 per year for a band D property, or around £207 extra for a band G property. Especially in light of cost-of-living pressures and increases to water and energy bills, these increases are simply unsustainable.
“It is even more concerning that while residents are already under financial pressure and we are seeing reduced services, with toilets closing, the continuation of the four weekly bin collection, the Council is instead investing a large sum of £739,224.27 over two financial years on advertising and communications. This, along with the unusable HGV depot in Mochdre that cost over £3 million, that is unfit for heavy vehicles, are examples of spending on vanity projects that should have been redirected into supporting our essential services and ensuring that there was no need to raise Council Tax.
“I urge the Council to reject this proposal and focus on cutting waste to protecting our services and supporting our residents. As shown by the Conservative Group on Pembrokeshire County Council in 2025/26, there are alterative ways to make up for the shortfall without high increases to council tax.
ENDS
Photo: Janet Finch-Saunders MS/AS
Cyn trafodaethau ar y gyllideb yr wythnos nesaf, mae Cyngor Bwrdeistref Sirol Conwy yn wynebu adlach enfawr dros ei gynnig i gynyddu'r Dreth Gyngor 6.5%.
Mae Cyngor Bwrdeistref Sirol Conwy wedi cynnig cau'r diffyg adnoddau o £7.968 miliwn gyda £2.236 miliwn o doriadau i wasanaethau, £100,000 o gronfeydd wrth gefn a £5.632 miliwn o'r Dreth Gyngor.
Mae Janet Finch-Saunders, AS Aberconwy, wedi beirniadu'r cynnig hwn, yn enwedig oherwydd yr effaith y bydd y cynnydd hwn yn ei chael ar drigolion sydd eisoes yn delio â chostau byw cynyddol.
Yn dilyn hyn, dywedodd Janet:
"Er fy mod yn croesawu'r cynnydd is arfaethedig o gymharu â'r llynedd, mae'r cynnydd hwn yn ychwanegu at y cynnydd o 30% yn y Dreth Gyngor dros y tair blynedd diwethaf, sef y cynnydd mwyaf ledled Cymru. Bydd yn costio £122.76 ychwanegol y flwyddyn i breswylwyr gweithgar, ar gyfartaledd, ar gyfer eiddo band D, neu oddeutu £207 yn ychwanegol ar gyfer eiddo band G. Yn enwedig yng ngoleuni’r pwysau costau byw a’r cynnydd i filiau dŵr ac ynni, mae'r cynnydd hwn yn anghynaliadwy.
"Mae hyd yn oed yn fwy pryderus, tra bod trigolion eisoes o dan bwysau ariannol a’n bod yn gweld llai o wasanaethau, gyda thoiledau'n cau, parhad y casgliad biniau bob pedair wythnos, bod y Cyngor yn hytrach yn buddsoddi’r swm enfawr o £739,224.27 dros ddwy flynedd ariannol ar hysbysebu a chyfathrebu. Mae hyn, ynghyd â'r depo HGV ym Mochdre a gostiodd dros £3 miliwn ond sy'n anaddas ar gyfer cerbydau trwm, yn enghreifftiau o wariant ar brosiectau dibwys y dylid bod wedi cael ei ailgyfeirio i gefnogi ein gwasanaethau hanfodol a sicrhau nad oedd angen codi'r Dreth Gyngor.
"Rwy'n annog y Cyngor i wrthod y cynnig hwn a chanolbwyntio ar leihau gwastraff i amddiffyn ein gwasanaethau a chefnogi ein trigolion. Fel y dangoswyd gan y Grŵp Ceidwadol ar Gyngor Sir Penfro yn 2025/26, mae yna ffyrdd eraill o wneud iawn am y diffyg heb gynnydd uchel i'r dreth gyngor.
DIWEDD
Llun: Janet Finch-Saunders AS
