PEMBROKESHIRE Coast National Park is £307,000 under projected budget in the nine-month period up to December 31, 2017, a meeting of the audit and corporate services review committee will hear next week (Wednesday, February 14).

The authority is facing five per cent annual cuts to its budget in the next two years as it looks to balance its books.

The Castell Henllys visitor centre between Cardigan and Newport performed well during the past year and raised more than £74,000 in admission fees against a projected budget of just over £50,000. Merchandise sales were also on target.

Work on the demolition of one of the round houses at Castell Henllys was completed during the summer and the rebuild will be finished by the end of this financial year.

Further refurbishment work has taken place on site at the Pant Glas building to create additional office space and potential for more retail capacity.

There has also been a big rise in car parking charges. Poppit Sands car park raked in just over £52,000 against a projected budget of £35,500, while Newport Sands car park raised more than £22,000, nearly £7,000 above budget.

Car park income for the nine months stood at £425k, which is up £30k on budget and £16k for the comparable period 2016/17.

The meeting will be told that as at the end of the third quarter, the forecast revenue position for the 2017/18 financial year is a surplus of approximately £321,000 against an original budget surplus of nil.