The Local Government Settlement for Pembrokeshire County Council

Part of 2. Questions to the Cabinet Secretary for Local Government and Public Services – in the Senedd at 3:00 pm on 21 March 2018.

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Photo of Mr Neil Hamilton Mr Neil Hamilton UKIP 3:00, 21 March 2018

I thank the Cabinet Secretary for that response. The medium-term financial plan of Pembrokeshire County Council says that the county has the largest shortfall between its actual spending and what the Welsh Government predicts it needs to spend to deliver services. And because the Welsh Government assumes that the council tax is collected at the same level for every authority, Pembrokeshire loses out significantly. Welsh average band D council tax for 2017-18 is £1,162. That's £279 more than Pembrokeshire at £883. That's a 31 per cent variance, which is, of course, enormous. It looks as though Pembrokeshire County Council here—and others that are in the same position, or perhaps not quite so severe—is, in effect, being penalised by the Welsh Government for its past success in containing costs while continuing to deliver services. The perversity of the system is that the more you spent previously, the more you would get by way of a block grant from the Welsh Government. Isn't it time to address this perversity?