Calls made to review council tax support scheme

Calls have been made to review the Council Tax Reduction Scheme in a bid to better accommodate Powys residents.

At a Powys County Council meeting on Thursday, March 5, councillors met to formally set the Council Tax which is an annual legal requirement that’s needed before bills can start to be sent out to residents.

On February 26, the council agreed the 4.9 per cent Council Tax increase for the 2026/2027 budget, as well as £6 million in cuts to balance the books next year.

Finance portfolio holder, Cllr David Thomas (Labour – Tawe Uchaf) said: “The council has a legal obligation to set the Council Tax charges for 2026/2027.”

Once agreed by council, Cllr Thomas explained that the “annual billing process” will start to ensure Powys households receive their annual demand in a “timely manner.”

Director of corporate services and s151 officer Jane Thomas said: “Just to reiterate, this is a technical report and doesn’t re-open the Council Tax debate.”

Cllr Gwynfor Thomas (Conservative – Llansantffraid) said that residents in his ward had spoken to him of their struggles to pay the Council Tax and were just beyond the threshold for receive help from the Council Tax Reduction Scheme which is Wales wide

He asked whether it was possible to review the Council Tax Reduction Scheme and speak to the Welsh Government about it.

Cllr Thomas said: “In England the Council Tax Reduction Scheme revolves around the individual council setting their own scheme.

“There could be an opportunity to treat and support our residents in a better and fairer way.”

Ms Thomas said: “Yes, we can have those discussions at a national level on behalf of the council.

“There are some discretionary elements within the Council Tax regulation, and we do review those regularly and we will have another look to see if there is something further, we can do.

“We appreciate it is challenging times out there.”

She advised residents struggling to pay their Council Tax to contact the council for support.

The report was agreed with 33 councillors voting for, 18 against and five abstentions.

Council Tax is made up of three components, the biggest being payment for services from a principal authority such as Powys which includes education, social services, rubbish collection and highway maintenance, but a levy called a precept is also charged by the local police force, Dyfed-Powys Police and also from town or community councils.

In January, Dyfed-Powys Police and Crime Commissioner Dafyd Llywelyn set a  7.47 per cent increase on the police precept, which takes their part of the bill up to £387.03 for a Band D property.

In recent months, more than 100 town and community councils in the county have been meeting to discuss their own financial needs and decide the amount of precept to levy on their areas.

All these elements are brought together so that a total Council Tax bill is calculated.

The papers that show that once again the highest Council Tax will be paid by the residents of Machynlleth.

The Band D bill, which is the recognised average for comparison with other authorities, will go up to £2,671.37 in Machynlleth for the incoming year.

Of the five “core” Powys towns, Welshpool residents will be paying the highest with a Band D property going up to £2,546.32 while residents of Llandrindod Wells – the county town – will be paying £187.33 less with their bills coming to £2,358.99.

Newtown residents of a Band D property will receive a bill of £2,482.56 while Band D properties in Brecon are billed at £2,438.62 and Ystradgynlais for £2,403.84.

The individual Band D for each community in Powys are:

BRECKNOCKSHIRE

Brecon – £ 2,438.62

Bronllys – £ 2,295.65

Builth Wells -£ 2,399.88

Cilmery -£ 2,290.53

Cray –  £ 2,325.80

Crickhowell  -£ 2,337.77

Duhonw – £ 2,279.09

Erwood –  £2,303.61

Felinfach – £ 2,289.90

Glyn Tarrell  – £ 2,292.98

Gwernyfed  – £ 2,306.99

Hay-on-Wye – £ 2,369.56

Honddu Isaf  – £ 2,266.63

Llanafanfawr – £ 2,276.45

Llanddew – £ 2,302.40

Cwmdu and District  – £ 2,291.49

Llanfrynach  – £ 2,296.30

Llangammarch – £ 2,319.44

Llangattock  – £ 2,357.92

Llangorse  – £ 2,294.23

Llanigon – £ 2,278.78

Llangynidr – £ 2,315.76

Llanwrthwl  £ 2,295.11

Llanwrtyd Wells – £ 2,310.57

Llywel  – £ 2,319.70

Maescar £ 2,295.24

Merthyr Cynog – £ 2,297.29

Talgarth – £ 2,361.70

Talybont-on-Usk  – £ 2,311.20

Tawe Uchaf – £ 2,326.34

Vale of Grwyney – £ 2,279.17

Trallong – £ 2,283.51

Treflys  – £ 2,283.51

Yscir – £ 2,282.65

Ystradfellte – £ 2,264.72

Ystradgynlais- £ 2,403.84

 

RADNORSHIRE

Abbey Cwmhir – £ 2,309.18

Aberedw -£ 2,270.09

Beguildy – £ 2,283.80

Clyro  – £ 2,284.28

Disserth & Trecoed – £ 2,283.37

Gladestry – £ 2,274.91

Glasbury –  £ 2,277.52

Glascwm – £ 2,279.25

Knighton –  £2,373.93

Llanbadarn Fawr – £ 2,290.83

Llanbadarn Fynydd- £ 2,291.61

Llanbister – £ 2,295.80

Llandewi Ystradenny -£2,275.5

Llandrindod Wells -£2,358.99

Llanelwedd – £ 2,275.51

Llanfihangell R hydithon – £2,311.11

Llangunllo – £2,313.05

Llanyre -£2,289.72

Nantmel – £2,287.42

New Radnor -£2,304.72

Old Radnor -£2,283.97

Painscastle  -£2,267.40

Penybont- £2,289.46

Presteigne – £2,320.72

Rhayader – £2,331.69

St Harmon – £2,309.27

Whitton- £2,276.22

 

MONTGOMERYSHIRE

Aberhafesp  – £2,287.15

Abermule with Llandyssil – £2,342.29

Banwy -£ 2,280.4

Bausley with Criggion – £2,298.72

Berriew -£2,288.47

Betws Cedewain-£ 2,294.15

Cadfarch – £2,288.30

Caersws -£2,337.34

Carno – £2,322.01

Carreghofa – £2,304.13

Castle Caereinion  – £2,305.01

Churchstoke  – £2,295.39

Dwyriw – £2,283.80

Forden – £2,323.71

Glantwymyn – £2,282.62

Guilsfield – £2,286.36

Kerry – £2,292.64

Llanbrynmair – 2,290.40

Llandinam – £2,320.52

Llandrinio and Arddleen  – £2,290.61

Llandysilio- £2,299.04

Llanerfyl – £2,289.95

Llanfair Caereinion – £2,333.36

Llanfechain – 2,294.98

Llanfihangel -£2,320.42

Llanfyllin – £2,368.76

Llangedwyn – £2,284.36

Llangurig – £2,280.79

Llangyniew – £2,306.80

Llangynog – £2,334.70

Llanidloes – £2,365.44

Llanidloes Without – £2,283.86

Llanrhaeadr ym Mochnant – £2,288.73

Llansantffraid  – £2,284.74

Llansilin – £2,295.3

Llanwddyn – £2,344.41

Machynlleth – £2,671.37

Manafon – £2,284.2

Meifod  – £2,295.27

Mochdre with Penstrowed – £2,308.12

Montgomery – 2,371.26

Newtown & Llanllwchaian – £2,482.56

Pen-y-Bont Fawr – £2,312.78

Trefeglwys – £2,276.88

Tregynon – £2,309.07

Trewern – £2,293.11

Welshpool – £2,546.32

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

By Elgan Hearn, Local Democracy reporting Service