A Cardiff community council ask for £10,000 budget rise

A Cardiff community council has requested a 13 per cent increase of £10,000 on their budget for the next financial year to fund new Christmas lights, a computer and a map of the area.

Radyr and Morganstown Community Council are asking for the increase just a few months after Social Justice and Local Government Minister Carl Sargeant announced a 1.4 per cent cut to council budgets across Wales.

For the next financial year the community council have asked for £75,000 to pay for village hall improvements and new computer, among other projects, which would mean a £10,000 increase of on the last financial year.

The increase in precept would mean a rise in council tax for residents of about £4.30 for the year, a calculation based on the average price of a house in Wales.

Helena Fox, Radyr and Morganstown Community Council Clerk, said: "The reason it (the precept) has gone up is because there are projects expected to go ahead, which comes to a total of £3,600.

"There is our annual Village Plan project, and a community environment project. We are also updating our village map and want new Christmas lights for Station Road.

"The budget doesn't necessarily mean we will definitely spend the money. It means we have allocated the money if we go through with the plans we have made."

For the last three years council members have agreed to keep the budget the same as the previous year, and on one occasion it was agreed to reduce the precept on account of the recession.

Marie Jennings, of Maes Y Llech, Radyr, said: "It's not that much really per household. But it depends what they plan on doing with the money."

Another Radyr resident, John Wolfe of Cilfedw, said: "I wouldn't object to paying it. They (the community council) keep an eye on things - on the roads and the road signs and such."

A spokesperson for Cardiff City Council said: "It is for the community council to decide how much the precept is to go up by and then we collect it on their behalf. The council doesn't really have a view on that."

Emma Boon, spokesperson for Taxpayers' Alliance, said: "Councils across England, Scotland and Wales are having to find significant savings and this means cutting spending.

"Radyr and Morganstown Community Council just don’t get it, they need to cut their spending, not come cap in hand to hard-pressed taxpayers and ask for more money."

Among the five other community councils in Cardiff, two have calculated an increase in precept to the council.

Lisvane Community Council calculated an increase of 2.5 per cent, just more than an increase in line with inflation. Old St Mellons community council has reported an increase of 3.5 per cent. Pentyrch, St Fagan's and Tongwynlais community councils' precepts remain as they were for the financial year of 2010-2011.