Council tax payers face bigger bills (From Western Telegraph)

Council tax payers face bigger bills

Council tax payers face a significant increase in this year's bills, due next month, despite Pemb-rokeshire having the lowest council tax in Wales, County council leader Councillor Maurice Hughes, announced last Thursday.

At a meeting at County Hall, council members approved a 3.5% increase, taking a band D property bill to £528.02 for the next year, compared with an average increase across Wales of 8%. The highest proposed increase by a Welsh authority is 14%.

However, thanks to increase in the precepts of the Dyfed-Powys Police Authority and local town and community councils, taxpayers will see a noticeable increase in their bills. Charges levied by the Police Authority have increased by 26.5% in the forthcoming year.

Cllr Hughes said: "When the council tax bill drops through letter boxes, I am afraid they will show some significant increases. I regret there is little we can do about this.

Despite these increases, Cllr Hughes heralded the council-controlled aspect of the bills as prudent and achieved through 'effective use of council resources'.

"This year, the people of Pembrokeshire will have the lowest council tax in the country. The hallmark of the council is its commitment to it customers and its financial prudence and efficiency," he added.

He went on to praise the council as the only council in Wales to have completed its Best Value Service Reviews.

"Four of our services have been rated by independent external inspectors as excellent and were the first to be so in Wales. A further 13 have been rated as good," he said.

"No other council approaches this record of achievement," he added. However, Cllr Hughes acknowledged his council could still get better in the services it provides.

"We accept there are areas for improvement. Any organisation that thinks it cannot get better is doomed."