Shropshire Star

Anger as Welsh Government refuses to cut number of Powys councillors

The Welsh Government will not reduce the number of county councillors in Powys, putting further pressure on the council's budget.

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Already in financial crisis, the council was depending on cutting its expenses bill through the recommendation to reduce councillors from 73 to 64 next year.

But the Welsh Public Services Minister, Leighton Andrews, now said that electoral reviews carried out by the Local Democracy and Boundary Commission for Wales in nine areas, including Powys, will not be implemented.

The review in Powys recommended the number drop by nine.

The decision means that the council will have to find an additional £175,000 a year from April 2017 until at least 2020.

Powys Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Finance, Councillor Wynne Jones, said: "Last week's announcement by the Public Services Minister is extremely disappointing and will put more pressure on our budget plans.

"The decision not to go ahead with the reduction is solely down to the Welsh Government and is out of the hands of the county council. But we are the ones that have to deal with the consequences and the impact it has on our budget plans.

"The reduction of councillors had been included in our medium term financial plans.

"Now we have to find an additional £525,000 over three years from 2017.

"The Welsh Government decision will just add to the growing budgetary pressures the council is already facing."

Powys County Council is currently looking to save £27 million over the next three years.

It has handed over the running of a number of services to town and community councils as it bids to slash its spending.

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