Cardiff Council will hike council tax and axe dozens of jobs in new spending plans

Ted Peskett, local democracy reporter

Cardiff Council plans to increase council tax, increase the cost of residential parking permits and get rid of dozens of roles.

Following the Welsh Government’s budget decision on Thursday, February 20, Cardiff Council revealed its final set of proposals to help it save £27.7m in 2025-26.

The areas of highest spending being proposed by the council for the next financial year include schools, children services and social care.

As well as the cost of parking permits, residents in the city will see the cost of school meals and burial and cremation services go up.

Council tax

Council tax is proposed to go up by 4.95% and 60 posts at the local authority are expected to be lost. This will be through non-replacement of vacancies and voluntary redundancy.

A number of changes were made to the council’s initial budget proposals following a public consultation. Some of the council’s main proposals include:

⦁ An increase in residential parking charges for second and visitor permits from £80 to £90
⦁ A 9.6% increase in the cost of the burial service, from £1,040 to £1,140
⦁ A 4.6% increase in the cost of the cremation service, from £870 to £910
⦁ A 15p increase in the cost of secondary school meals, from £3.40 to £3.55

Council plans to look at surcharges for burials and cremations at weekends and bank holidays have been dropped.

The local authority said school meals will continue to be subsidised by them.

Schools in Cardiff will receive an additional £22.9m, adult services an additional £12.8m, and children’s services an additional £6.5m.

Central education services, which includes home to school transport, will receive an additional £8.8m.

Other areas which will receive spending include:

⦁ £1.5m for neighbourhood regeneration, including parks
⦁ £1m for schemes to improve street cleanliness and recycling
⦁ £600,000 to help support community events
⦁ £600,000 for child-friendly initiatives like Cardiff Commitment
⦁ £250,000 for additional drain clearances
⦁ £200,000 for sports facilities grants
⦁ £200,000 for community safety initiatives
⦁ £150,000 for bus shelters

‘Cost-of-living crisis’

Cardiff Council’s cabinet member for finance, modernisation and performance, Cllr Chris Weaver, said: “Demand for council services is increasing due to several factors.

“The cost-of-living crisis has led to more people presenting as homeless in the city, from families who can no longer afford rents or mortgages to single individuals facing similar challenges.

“Additionally, Cardiff’s ageing population means more people require our support each year, including those needing dementia services.

“We are also seeing a rise in the number of children with additional learning needs who need specialist support.

“These are vitally important services, and we have to do our best to ensure people get the help they need and deserve.”

Cardiff Council was initially looking at a budget gap of more than £60m.

Uplift

However, after an uplift in funding from the Welsh Government, this has been reduced to £27.7m.

With council tax accounting for about 26% of the council’s budget, Cllr Weaver said the increased levy being proposed won’t be enough to bridge the gap.

The largest area of proposed savings will come under “efficiency and income savings”, which will account for £12.5m.

Corporate savings and service change proposals will account for £5.8m.

Cllr Weaver said: “Regrettably, around 60 positions will be lost across the council, following the loss of 160 roles last year.

“We are committed to finding efficiencies and changing how we work to minimise the impact on our frontline services.

“We want our residents to know that we have listened to their feedback.

“Our proposals aim to safeguard the services that matter most to them – education, support for the vulnerable, and social care.”

Cardiff Council’s budget proposals will be discussed by cabinet members at a meeting on Thursday, February 27.

If agreed by cabinet, the proposals will go to full council on Thursday, March 6 for final approval.