Swansea residents could see Council Tax frozen

Swansea residents could have their Council Tax bills frozen as part of the Council's budget proposals.

Swansea Council's Cabinet will be discussing its Draft Revenue Budget for 2012/13 which includes holding Council Tax bills at this year's level of £990 for a Band D property.

The Draft Budget includes proposals to increase school funding by more than £2.4 million and to invest an extra £2 million in Social Services.

Also included in the proposals is extra funding for:

• Investment in the city centre;

• Tackling child poverty by improving literacy;

• Free bus travel for under-16s during Easter;

• Growing demand for free school meals; and,

• Boosting waste disposal and recycling.

The Draft Budget proposes £6.6 million in savings and efficiencies, including reduced staffing costs of £2.6 million.

According to the report to Special Cabinet next Monday, schools in Swansea are also set for a further boost of £2.8 million being funded by the Welsh Government under a new Pupil Deprivation Grant.

Stuart Rice, the Council's Cabinet Member for Finance, said: "The Draft Revenue Budget provides for millions of pounds in extra investment for key services such as Education and Social Services.

"On top of that, there's new investment in other services that affect families every day, such as recycling and waste disposal. There's also free bus travel for under-16s and extra funding to meet the growing demand for free school meals.

"The proposal to freeze Council Tax bills will help families at a time when household bills are increasing and their income may be reducing.

"Despite the squeeze on public spending, the Council is continuing to improve its services whilst reducing its costs and becoming more efficient. This means families across Swansea are getting better value for money from their council."

The Draft Capital Budget proposes to spend more than £40 million on a range of projects including:

• Refurbishing Castle Square as a focal point for the Olympics in Swansea;

• Restoring Cwmdonkin Park for the centenary of Dylan Thomas' birth in 2014;

• Refurbishing Cefn Hengoed and Morriston Comprehensive Schools;

• Investing more than £3 million to upgrade highways and other infrastructure; and,

• Further works to refurbish the historic Guildhall and to progress the Boulevard scheme.

Following the Welsh Government's recent announcement on 21st Century Schools it is expected that approximately £18 million will be invested in an initial programme to include a replacement for Manselton and Cwmbwrla Primary Schools, remodelling YGG Lon Las and replacing Gowerton Primary.

The Council also plans to invest £25 million, an increase of £5 million, in upgrading council housing across the city and county. The improvement works set out in the Housing Revenue Account include kitchen and bathroom renewals, boiler replacements, heating upgrades, improved roofing and chimneys and energy efficiency measures.

Following Cabinet today, February 13 the full council will meet to discuss the Draft Budget on February 20.

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Swansea residents could see Council Tax frozen