Carpets row over council tax rise

Powys county councillors have come under fire for failing to keep council tax down. Councillor Barry Thomas said members ignored a proposal for a three per cent rise.

Instead they supported one of 3.5 per cent.

Councillor Thomas, who heads the Montgomeryshire Independent Group, said some members seemed more concerned about refurbishing the council's headquarters in Llandrindod Wells than taxpayers' interests.

"They seem more bothered about spending money replacing the carpets at County Hall than they do about about keeping the council tax down," he said.

Councillor Thomas said all 23 members of the Montgomeryshire Independent Group had hoped other councillors would see sense when they voted at the end of January.

He said: "Our proposals would have provided £263,000 less for the council to spend, but this money could have been found from efficiency savings, including reductions in street lighting, and it would not have been at the expense of other major services.

"Taxpayers are already finding it tough and, with the increase in food bills, heating costs and fuel, they are going to find it even harder over the next financial year.

Liberal Democrat group leader Councillor James Gibson-Watt said: "Setting a lower council tax would prove very difficult and services would suffer.

"We are always going to displease somebody, but unfortunately these things need to be done.

"As far as the carpets in County Hall are concerned, they need to be replaced because they are frayed and torn and are now a health and safety risk to staff."

A final decision on the level of council tax will be made at a meeting of the full council on Thursday.