Council leader claims people retiring in the county without family need support earlier

Richard Evans Local Democracy Reporter

A council leader has said that the council is struggling to cope financially due to a “faulty” Welsh Government funding formula – and the fact people from elsewhere are retiring in the county, often without family ties.

Cllr Charlie McCoubrey was speaking at a Conwy County Council meeting on Thursday 6 December during a section of the meeting reserved for announcements.

Cllr McCoubrey then told the chamber that he held several positions on Welsh Local Government Association (WLGA) subgroups and of his work in the organisation trying to secure more funding for Conwy.

Settlement

Last year, the authority received the joint lowest local government settlement in Wales with neighbours Gwynedd, a rise of just 2%.

In comparison neighbouring Denbighshire received a rise of 3.7%.

This year’s funds are due to be announced on December 11 – with Conwy anticipating a £31 milllion black hole.

In September, Cllr McCoubrey blamed the funding formula used to calculate the settlement, claiming the county had been short-changed by £210m over the last seven years, causing Conwy to increase council tax by nearly 10% year on year whilst slashing frontline services.

Speaking at Bodlondeb, Cllr McCoubrey said he was on a finance subgroup on the WLGA and that he was working with the organisation to try and get the funding formula used to calculate the settlement updated.

“Mismatch”

During his address, Cllr McCoubrey said Conwy was suffering due to having one of the oldest populations in the UK, a problem compounded by many retiring to the area and not having family for support.

“Part of the work of that group is to scrutinise the work of the distribution subgroup. So that is an independent body which essentially overlooks the funding formula.

“So the funding formula is essentially a calculation that is used for the approximation of need when allocating money to the 22 local authorities,” he said.

“You will all be aware that historically Conwy receives a very poor settlement. Last year we were joint lowest in Wales alongside our neighbours Gwynedd. Members will be aware that we have the second highest population of over 65s, around 27%, so there is a mismatch there.

“But for me, it is really important rather than just complaining about the settlement to understand the nuts and bolts of how we are in this situation. If I ever get to get the chance to go on Mastermind, my suitably dull subject will be Welsh Government local funding formula.

“So our two main areas of concerns: one, the (funding formula) document is around 20 years old and some of the funding lines just genuinely appear illogical.

“As an example, money is allocated according to different age bands. The age 60 to 85 equates to £10.99 (per head), and over 85 that jumps to around £2,000. Now clearly the needs of an 84 year old are very different from a 60 year old just on a common-sense basis. Some research we’ve done in Conwy shows that 47% of people being looked after are under 85, so there is clearly a mismatch there.

“We are also a very popular area for people to retire to, but people tend to need intervention sooner because they don’t have family support around them.”

Impact

He added: “There is many other things and they are mainly around indicators of deprivation that I don’t think are fit for purpose in the society we live in now, but I could go on about that all day.”

“The other main area for me is that much of the data is out of date. So data around children is bang up to date, but the data that directly affects us concerning our older residents is often 23 years out of date. There is data in there about sparsity – we are a rural county – which goes back to 1991.

“So just to highlight how that impacts on us, there is a funding line there for single pensioner households. That uses data from 2001. I know, looking at the census data, that in 2011 we had 6,000 single pensioner households. By 2021 that had risen to 9,000. So that had increased by 60%. So that (current numbers are going to be even higher) is clearly going to be substantially higher than data way back from 2001.”

Cllr McCoubrey went on to say he had been looking at the Scottish funding formula model which was “fairer”.

He said: “I’ve secured agreement in principle from the WLGA last year that the funding formula of the data would be brought up to date as soon as possible. That work is ongoing. It is making some progress but isn’t moving fast enough for me, if I’m being absolutely honest. But clearly those authorities that do better from this formula are less eager to see it change than I would be, but I continue to push the case on the basic grounds of fairness.”

In September the Welsh Government defended the formula used when a spokesman said: “There is no evidence that any authority with particular geographical or social characteristics is disadvantaged by the local government funding formula.”