FROM April the overall Council Tax bills dropping through Blaenau Gwent letterboxes will be “knocking the door” of four per cent, a senior councillor has said.

At a special Blaenau Gwent County Borough Council meeting on Monday, March 6, councillors formally set next year’s budget which is an annual legal requirement.

On February 23, the council had agreed a 3.45 per cent increase to Council Tax having originally modelled for a four per cent increase.

Council Tax is made up of three components, the biggest being payment for services from a principal authority such as Blaenau Gwent, but a levy called a precept is also charged by the local police force, such as Gwent Police and also from town or community councils.

These all combine to give a final total.

As 85 per cent of homes in Blaenau Gwent are in Band A or B, the council uses these as the Council Tax yardstick rather than the usual Band D.

Council Tax for Band A properties is set to rise by an average of £55.51 and the average for Band B properties is £64.55.

Council Tax bills for Band D properties which is seen national standard for comparison will rise by an average of £83.26.

Council leader Cllr Steve Thomas explained that there was a tweak to be made on the budget due to the Welsh Government providing a £130,000 grant into the local government settlement on fire and rescue authority pensions.

Cllr Thomas said: “The council had previously agreed to pass this £130,000 increase to the fire authority.”

Deputy leader of the independent opposition group, Cllr Wayne Hodgins looked at the “extra impact” that adding the police and town and community council precept was having on the total council tax bill that residents will have to pay.

Cllr Hodgins said:   “The overall council tax is going to be 3.96 per cent we’re back knocking the door of four per cent.”

Cllr Thomas pointed out that Council Tax bills always increased when the other levies are added up to make the total.

He explained that even last year’s decision by Blaenau Gwent to freeze Council Tax had seen it go up by around one per cent due to the town and community council’s putting up their own precepts.

Councillors unanimously approved the budget for 2023/2024

The final total for Blaenau Gwent is that they need £182.3 million to run their services during 2023/2024 and this will be funded by:

Welsh Government Revenue Support Grant of £117.559 million, Council Tax of £38,645 million, non-domestic rates of £22,038 million and £4.057 million from council reserves to bring the forecast down to £178,034 million.

How much you will be paying in council tax in Blaenau Gwent this year:

Band A

  • Abertillery & Llanhilleth – £1,477.64.
  • Brynmawr – £1,452.85.
  • Nantyglo & Blaina – £1,458.44.
  • Tredegar – £1,458.32.
  • Ebbw Vale – £1,435.92.

Band B

  • Abertillery & Llanhilleth – £1,723.91.
  • Brynmawr – £1,695.00.
  • Nantyglo & Blaina – £1,701.51.
  • Tredegar – £1,701.37.
  • Ebbw Vale – £1,675.24.

Band D

  • Abertillery & Llanhilleth – £2,216.46.
  • Brynmawr – £2,179.28.
  • Nantyglo & Blaina – £2,187.66.
  • Tredegar – £2,187.48.
  • Ebbw Vale – £2,153.88.