Welshpool: second highest council tax in Powys

By Elgan Hearn, Local Democracy Reporter

The 7.5% Powys County Council rise in Council Tax, coupled with the police and local council precept rises will see most households in the Welshpool area pay at least £2,000 this year.

But it is Welshpool that is raising the eye brows, with the new figure of £2,231.22 for a Band D property placing it behind Machynlleth’s £2,372.58 as the second highest Council Tax in Powys.

Welshpool residents will be paying almost £250 more than those in Guilsfield and Berriew.

At Thursday’s Powys County Council meeting, 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 22, the council agreed the 7.5% Council Tax increase for the 2024/2025 budget, as well as cuts of over £10.5 million that need to be made in order to balance the books next year.

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.

Earlier this year Dyfed Powys police approved a precept increase of 6.2% increase in which takes the annual cost up to £332.03 for a Band D property.

In recent months, over 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.

Finance Portfolio Holder, Labour’s Cllr David Thomas, said: “It’s a very technical report but if you go through it there’s a level of clarity there.”

Director of Corporate Services and s151 Officer, Jane Thomas, said: “This does not re-open the budget debate that was approved the week before, this is just the calculation around what was approved.

“It’s important that we set the Council Tax before March 11 to meet some of our statutory requirements and any delay would have a significant impact on cashflow, both for this council and other precepting authorities, it’s important to note that.”

Councillors then went to a vote and the resolution was approved with 34 councillors voting in favour 12 against and 14 abstentions.

How much are we paying in Montgomeryshire

Aberhafesp – £1998.04

Banwy – £1990.80
Bausley with Criggion – £2003.81
Berriew – £1998.54
Betws Cedewain  – £2000.81
Cadfarch – £1,989.50
Caersws  – £2,042.70
Carno  – £2,018.51
Carreghofa – £2006.25
Castle Caereinion  – £2,016.90
Churchstoke – £2,004.97
Dwyrhiw – £1991.83
Forden – £2,031.10
Glantwymyn – £1992.75
Guilsfield – £1994.54
Kerry  – £2,003.03
Llanbrynmair – £2,000.39
Llandinam – £2,032.64
Llandrinio and Arddleen – £1,998.68
Llandysilio – £2003.08
Abermule with Llandyssil – £2,043.55
Llanerfyl – £1,998.22
Llanfair Caereinion – £2,031.55
Llanfechain – £2,007.06
Llanfihangel – £2,029.03
Llanfyllin – £2,038.83
Llangedwyn – £1,970.81
Llangurig – £1,992.45
Llangyniew – £2,003.67
Llangynog  – £2,048.32
Llanidloes – £2,072.63
Llanidloes Without – £2001.98
Llanrhaeadr ym Mochnant – £1995.39
Llansantffraid – £1996.41
Llansilin – £1,990.79
Llanwddyn  – £2,048.20
Machynlleth  – £2,372.58 (highest)
Manafon  – £1994.94
Meifod – £2,003,05
Mochdre with Penstrowed – £2,014.96
Montgomery  – £2,078.05
Newtown & Llanllwchaiarn  – £2,169.80
Pen Y Bont Fawr  £2,024.38
Trefeglwys – £1,980.50
Tregynon  £2,017.20
Trewern  – £2,006.07
Welshpool – £2,231.22