The County Council set its budget for 2019-2020 at £143.6m which has resulted in a Council Tax increase of 7.00%.
The Revenue Support Grant and National Non Domestic Rates payable to the Council has increased by 0.3% compared with 2018-2019 after allowing for grant transfers into the settlement.
The Council also collects Council Tax for the Dyfed-Powys Police (10.7% increase) and the Town and Community Councils (7.25% average increase). Overall the Council Tax bill for band D properties increased by 7.56%.
The Welsh Government sets a STANDARD SPENDING ASSESSMENT for Councils each year. This is the figure which the Government assesses as the amount required to provide a standard level of service in that area. Ceredigion County Council’s 2019-2020 Standard Spending Assessment is £141.5m.
A programme of capital investment totalling £18m is planned for 2019-2020.
The Council anticipates the following spending on services in 2019-2020:
| 2019-2020 BUDGET | ||||
| Services | Gross Expenditure £000's |
Income £000's |
Grants £000's |
Net Expenditure £000's |
| Schools | 76,214 | 3,951 | 8,033 | 64,230 |
| Lifelong Learning and Culture | 7,750 | 1,816 | 1,396 | 4,538 |
| Finance and Procurement | 15,043 | 668 | 18,145 | (3,770) |
| Democratic Services | 2,246 | 1 | 0 | 2,245 |
| People and Organisation | 1,774 | 47 | 948 | 779 |
| Children Services | 11,569 | 1,914 | 1,146 | 8,509 |
| Adult Services | 48,707 | 13,129 | 2,922 | 32,656 |
| Policy and Performance | 3,551 | 333 | 289 | 2,929 |
| Highways and Environmental Services | 25,409 | 4,508 | 2,945 | 17,956 |
| Economy and Regeneration | 7,564 | 2,108 | 1,136 | 4,320 |
| Customer Contact | 2,257 | 317 | 0 | 1,940 |
| Legal and Governance | 978 | 214 | 0 | 764 |
| Leadership Group | 494 | 0 | 0 | 494 |
| Cost of Council Services | 203,556 | 29,006 | 36,960 | 137,590 |
| Contributions from Reserves | (1,308) | (1,308) | ||
| Contingency | 150 | 150 | ||
| Capital Expenditure charged to the General Fund | 2,905 | 2,905 | ||
| Levies and Precepts: | ||||
| Fire Service | 4,040 | 4,040 | ||
| Environmental Agency Industrial Drainage | 11 | 11 | ||
| Town and Community Council Precepts | 1,105 | 1,105 | ||
| Budget Requirement | 210,459 | 29,006 | 36,960 | 144,493 |
| Add: Discretionary Rate Relief | 236 | 236 | ||
| 210,695 | 144,729 | |||
| Financed by: | ||||
| Specific Grants | 36,960 | |||
| Other Income | 29,006 | |||
| Aggregate External Finance | 102,091 | 102,091 | ||
| Met By: Council Tax Payers | 42,638 | 42,638 | ||
RESERVES are necessary to meet known future commitments and also to fund expenditure prior to receipt of income. Reserves are also desirable to meet unexpected expenditure or a shortfall in income. The estimated balances of the Council's reserves are as follows:
| Estimated Balance 31.03.2019 £000's |
Estimated Balance 31.03.2020 £000's |
|
| Earmarked Reserves | 17,648 | 16,340 |
| General Fund | 5,539 | 5,539 |
| Total | 23,187 | 21,879 |
The basic Council Tax is payable in respect of Band 'D' dwellings, whilst a fraction of this amount is payable for dwellings in other bands. The gross Council Tax payable for the County Council and Dyfed-Powys Police purposes is shown opposite:-
| Band | Dwelling value from £ |
Dwelling Value up to £ |
Fraction of Basic Tax | Ceredigion Council £ p |
Dyfed Powys-Police £ p |
| A | - | 44,000 | 6/9ths | 874.89 | 165.71 |
| B | 44,001 | 65,000 | 7/9ths | 1,020.70 | 193.32 |
| C | 65,001 | 91,000 | 8/9ths | 1,166.52 | 220.94 |
| D | 91,001 | 123,000 | 9/9ths | 1,312.33 | 248.56 |
| E | 123,001 | 162,000 | 11/9ths | 1,603.96 | 303.80 |
| F | 162,001 | 223,000 | 13/9ths | 1,895.59 | 359.03 |
| G | 223,001 | 324,000 | 15/9ths | 2,187.22 | 414.27 |
| H | 324,001 | 424,000 | 18/9ths | 2,624.66 | 497.12 |
| I | 424,001 | - | 21/9ths | 3,062.10 | 579.97 |
An additional special item is payable in respect of Town/Community Councils precepts as set out in the table below:
| COUNCIL TAX SPECIAL ITEMS 2019-2020 | |||
| Community or Town | Precept 2018-2019 £ p |
Precept 2019-2020 £ p |
Council Tax (Band D) £ p |
| Aberystwyth | 327,901.00 | 382,707.00 | 103.13 |
| Aberaeron | 38,386.00 | 39,400.00 | 52.98 |
| Cardigan | 83,995.47 | 83,995.47 | 46.41 |
| Lampeter | 41,000.00 | 41,000.00 | 43.37 |
| New Quay | 16,072.64 | 16,072.64 | 21.59 |
| Borth | 18,858.00 | 19,770.00 | 26.66 |
| Ceulanamaesmawr | 13,500.00 | 14,400.00 | 34.13 |
| Blaenrheidol | 3,900.00 | 4,000.00 | 19.76 |
| Genau'r Glyn | 8,250.00 | 8,500.00 | 24.91 |
| Llanbadarn Fawr | 36,832.00 | 38,531.00 | 44.45 |
| Llangynfelin | 8,250.00 | 8,250.00 | 30.98 |
| Llanfarian | 14,700.00 | 14,700.00 | 20.29 |
| Llangwyryfon | 3,012.00 | 3,120.00 | 12.20 |
| Llanilar | 7,500.00 | 7,400.00 | 16.22 |
| Llanrhystud | 8,600.00 | 8,600.00 | 19.46 |
| Melindwr | 7,000.00 | 7,000.00 | 13.70 |
| Pontarfynach | 3,500.00 | 3,500.00 | 14.66 |
| Tirymynach | 17,500.00 | 17,500.00 | 21.89 |
| Trawsgoed | 4,500.00 | 4,500.00 | 10.23 |
| Trefeurig | 13,000.00 | 13,000.00 | 17.45 |
| Faenor | 30,311.40 | 31,000.00 | 39.83 |
| Ysgubor-y-Coed | 3,500.00 | 3,500.00 | 22.61 |
| Llanddewi Brefi | 8,000.00 | 8,000.00 | 27.12 |
| Llangeitho | 5,500.00 | 5,500.00 | 15.00 |
| Lledrod | 1,650.00 | 1,740.00 | 5.71 |
| Nantcwnlle | 2,300.00 | 2,200.00 | 5.94 |
| Tregaron | 17,500.00 | 20,000.00 | 36.59 |
| Ysbyty Ystwyth | 3,000.00 | 3,000.00 | 14.80 |
| Ystrad Fflur | 7,140.70 | 7,140.70 | 23.06 |
| Ystrad Meurig | 1,950.84 | 1,927.32 | 12.00 |
| Ciliau Aeron | 3,800.00 | 3,800.00 | 9.39 |
| Henfynyw | 6,000.00 | 6,000.00 | 12.11 |
| Llanarth | 8,400.00 | 8,000.00 | 10.36 |
| Llandysiliogogo | 9,680.00 | 9,680.00 | 17.97 |
| Llanfair Clydogau | 3,500.00 | 3,500.00 | 11.90 |
| Llanfihangel Ystrad | 9,950.00 | 9,950.00 | 15.10 |
| Llangybi | 3,000.00 | 4,000.00 | 14.53 |
| Llanllwchaearn | 9,000.00 | 9,000.00 | 19.39 |
| Llansantffraed | 14,000.00 | 14,000.00 | 26.16 |
| Llanwenog | 8,000.00 | 8,000.00 | 13.82 |
| Llanwnnen | 3,465.00 | 3,465.00 | 16.76 |
| Dyffryn Arth | 6,000.00 | 6,000.00 | 10.84 |
| Aberporth | 41,088.36 | 41,088.00 | 37.03 |
| Beulah | 20,000.00 | 20,000.00 | 23.55 |
| Llandyfriog | 9,000.00 | 11,000.00 | 13.51 |
| Llandysul | 41,405.13 | 45,479.01 | 37.09 |
| Llangoedmor | 30,000.00 | 30,000.00 | 52.20 |
| Llangrannog | 10,000.00 | 10,000.00 | 23.62 |
| Penbryn | 8,500.00 | 11,500.00 | 16.14 |
| Troedyraur | 10,000.00 | 10,000.00 | 15.43 |
| Y Ferwig | 20,000.00 | 21,000.00 | 34.13 |
| Total | 1,031,898.54 | 1,105,416.14 | |