Ceredigion council tax is expected to rise by just under 10 per cent, with no additional cuts in services, but the core revenue increase would be less than half that, senior councillors heard.

At the 18 February meeting of Ceredigion County Council’s Cabinet, members were recommended to back a report on the latest position on the draft 25/26 Revenue Budget, ahead of a full council decision on 3 March.

It is recommended to increase council tax by 9.9 per cent, adding £170.88 to the bill for the average Band D property, before the police precept and individual town and community council elements of the overall bill are added.

The overall average Band D council tax county council element alone for this financial year is £1,726.05, which would rise to £1896.93 for 2025-‘26; Dyfed- Powys Police and Crime Panel recently backing an 8.6 per cent increase for the forthcoming year, at £360.68 for a Band D property, which would take the annual bill without the town/community element to £2,257.01.

A report for members said Cabinet previously considered the draft 2025/26 Budget on 21 January, seeking views from its various scrutiny committees, the matter returning to this meeting.

The report breaks the proposed 9.9 per cent increase down, with members hearing 4.9 would go to core funding, 2.9 to employers’ national insurance contributions, 0.6 to an increase in the Mid & West Wales Fire Levy and 1.5 of the percentage increase in council tax to increased investment in Waste Collection & Planning Enforcement Services.

The last part will, if supported in March, see a £346,000 investment in the Planning Enforcement Service and a £481,000 in the Waste Collection Service.

On the fire levy, it said: “The Fire levy forms part of Ceredigion County Council’s Budget.

“The resulting outcome for Ceredigion remains the same as that already assumed in the draft 25/26 Budget figures – namely a cost pressure of c£301,000 (the equivalent of a 0.6 per cent Council Tax increase on a Band D property).”

Members heard that a final formal announcement on the Welsh Government funding floor, following its recent funding settlements for local authorities, was expected later this week which could potentially see Ceredigion in a better position than the 3.6 per cent provisional settlement rate previously announced.

“Cabinet have already determined that any benefit from a Funding Floor in the Final Settlement would be used to reduce the proposed Council Tax increase.

“It is therefore possible that the final position to be considered by Full Council on 3 March could change from that currently being presented, if the Final Settlement (including any Funding Floor) changes from the Provisional Settlement,” the report said.

Members agreed to back a string of recommendations, including a full council call to the March meeting for a £209.234m 2025-’26 budget; a 9.9 per cent council tax increase, depending on the final Welsh Government settlement figures.