Gwynedd’s council approved an 8.66% council tax increase to protect services. Final decision on the budget is set for March 6.
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The council plans a £355,243,800 budget. This covers 2025 and 2026. The government will give £246,818,190, and council tax will bring in £108,425,610, reflecting the proposed tax increase. They also agreed on a £53,736,190 capital program to also be implemented in 2025 and 2026 and savings of £519,000 received formal approval too.
Cabinet members will suggest figures that decide the final budget. A full council meeting will then happen on March 6 to make the final decision.
The council wants to protect local services, and an 8.66 percent tax increase helps that objective. However, savings and cuts are still needed this year, and balancing the budget for 2026/27 will create pressure.
Welsh authorities face money problems right now. The funding increase does not cover service demand. Gwynedd Council will see a 3.2 percent grant increase, equaling a £7.5 million funding boost.
Another £6.5 million gets included for transferred duties as part of their grant. A report stated that spending would need to rise £24.2 million to “stand still.”
Service budgets face £7.7 million in pressure. Due to inflation and demand, changes must happen. They may raise council tax, and new savings and cuts must get considered to balance the budget for 2025/26.
The Welsh Government gave no grant indications for concerns starting from 2026/27 onward. The outlook is not good for local councils, and Gwynedd could see little or no grant increases.
They will consider future service demands amidst shrinking resources. The council must decide what services to provide and how to provide services.
More savings are planned after 2026/27. Work begins after the 2025/26 budget is set. They will update their financial plan to reflect this new situation.