COUNCIL Tax may have to increase by as much as 12.5 per cent to avoid “draconian” cuts in education and adult welfare services, members of Pembrokeshire County Council heard.

At Thursday’s December 14 meeting of full council, members considered the draft budget for 2018-19 and the financial plan up to 2022.

The actual final budget will be brought to cabinet in February for a recommendation to full council at its March 8 meeting.

Cabinet Member for Finance Cllr Bob Kilmister, who favoured a 12.5 per cent rise, described the “challenging backdrop” to setting the council tax level.

He said the draft budget document had never been made available in this timescale before, describing it as “in direct contrast” to the 2017 budget details arriving the night before decisions were made.

Members heard Pembrokeshire would face an £18.6m funding gap in 2018-19, with a five per cent rise in council tax raising an extra £2.4m, along with cost reductions of £16.2m; eight per cent raising £3.8m with reductions/savings of £12.6m, and the 12.5 per cent rise raising £6m, with cost reductions of £12.6m.

Cllr Kilmister said a 12.5 per cent rise would increase the average Band D property by £110 a year, with a five per cent rise adding £44.15, and an eight per cent increase adding £70.64.

Members heard that Pembrokeshire was paying for historically not having adequate council tax and the county was 30 per cent lower than Carmarthenshire and Ceredigion, and 24 per cent below the Welsh average.

Even with a 12.5 per cent increase it would remain the lowest in the country.

Pembrokeshire currently had 30 per cent less money in the budget than was required for them to deliver the services required of them by Welsh Government.

“We have to do something about this or face draconian cuts to our services, this is why I have included the 12.5 per cent increase,” said Cllr Kilmister.

He said that “no politician in their right mind” would ask for council tax increases, but described it as “the lesser of two evils”.

Councillor John T Davies warned a rise to 12.5 per cent would place an unfair burden on those paying the full rate of council tax, adding: “Charity begins at home with the hard-working taxpayers of this county; how can we justify taking from the hard-working people of Pembrokeshire to support a nine per cent increase in income?”

Former Leader Cllr Jamie Adams, who backed the five per cent option, hit out at Leader David Simpson: “Leader, you can’t lead from the rear, you have to lead from the front; the reluctance to make difficult decisions, they are expecting the public of this county to simply bankroll them.”

He added: “We are in difficult times, it isn’t easy, but you have to be up for that challenge, and I don’t believe you are.”

Members agreed to explore how to bridge the projected £18.6m funding gap for 2018-19, with the three options of a five, eight and 12.5 per cent council tax increase.

In addition where any extra cost reductions over and above those required to balance the budget can be identified before March 8 they will be used to reduce the proposed cut to individual school budgets.

Cabinet is currently minded to recommend this option to Council on March 8.

All scrutiny committees will conduct detailed scrutiny before the Cabinet meeting on February 12, and report to Cabinet with their recommendations.