A COUNCIL tax rise of four per cent is proposed as balancing next year’s budget for Ceredigion has been called achievable with ‘no significant cuts’ required.

Better than expected settlements from Welsh Government have improved the outlook of many local authorities including Ceredigion, which has seen a 4.2 per cent increase.

Cabinet will discuss the draft budget and council tax proposals at its meeting today (Tuesday, January 28) before it goes through scrutiny with a final decision to be taken by full council.

The aggregated external finance for Ceredigion is £107,646,000 without grant transfers for teachers pay and pensions.

The overall budget total is £151,233,000 an increase of £7.6million.

A report to cabinet states that a recommendation be given to council that council tax for a Band D property be set at £1,364.82 for 2020/21, an increase of four per cent.

This will generate an extra £2million.

A report adds “no significant saving/cost reduction planning is required to balance the budget. This is in stark contrast to the previous nine years.”

“Transformational savings” will continue to be progressed.

Under pressure adult social care budgets are set to receive a budget increase of more than £2million.