§ Mr. Gwilym JonesTo ask the Secretary of State for Wales what level of total standard spending and aggregate external finance he has proposed for 1990–91; what increase this represents over 1989–90; what is his estimate of the community charge for standard spending in Wales; what are his estimates of the community charges which would be set by individual councils if local authorities budget to spend in 1990–91 at the same level as their income from rates and grant in 1989–90, adjusted for changes in funding arrangements and increased to be consistent in aggregate with total standard spending; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. Peter WalkerI am proposing to set total standard spending and aggregate external finance (AEF) at £2,114.5 million and £1,738.5 million respectively. Total standard spending would thus increase by 7.1 per cent. and AEF by
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Provisional spending and community charge figures for 1990–911 Authority Standing spending assessment £000 Expenditure projection2 £000 Community charge for standard spending £ District and county council charges2 £ Difference assuming present spending patterns £ Total community charge £ Alyn and Deeside 6,967 6,962 27 27 0 184 Colwyn 5,196 5,484 27 34 +7 191 Delyn 5,695 6,636 27 45 + 19 203 Glyndwr 3,785 3,622 27 22 -5 180 Rhuddlan 5,637 6,466 27 46 + 19 204 Wrexham Maelor 11,122 11,256 27 28 +2 186 Carmarthen 5,436 4,701 27 10 -17 151 Ceredigion 6,505 6,214 27 21 -6 162 Dinefwr 3,499 2,952 27 9 -18 150 Llanelli 8,285 9,030 29 42 +13 183 Preseli Pembrokeshire 7,041 6,148 27 11 -16 152 South Pembroke 4,653 4,093 27 10 -17 151 Blaenau Gwent 9,807 10,713 27 42 +15 184 Islwyn 8,075 7,947 27 24 -2 166 Monmouth 6,599 6,829 27 31 +4 172 Newport 16,125 16,659 29 34 +5 176 Torfaen 9,604 9,591 27 27 0 168 Aberconwy 5,270 5,735 27 38 +11 170 Arfon 6,075 5,946 27 24 -3 156 Dwyfor 3,596 3,511 27 23 -4 155 Meirionnydd 3,828 4,363 27 46 + 19 178 Ynys Mon 7,034 7,712 27 40 + 13 172 Cynon Valley 8,507 8,145 29 22 -7 167 Merthyr Tydfil 8,000 7,891 29 27 -2 172 Ogwr 14,959 15,299 27 30 +3 175 Rhondda 11,923 10,836 29 11 -18 156 Rhymney Valley 10,490 11,381 27 38 +12 183 Taff Ely 9,889 8,559 27 8 -19 153 Brecknock 4,197 4,022 27 22 -5 130 Montgomeryshire 4,628 3,992 27 11 -15 120 Radnorshire 2,070 1,943 27 20 -7 129 Cardiff 29,856 30,691 27 31 + 4 163 Vale of Glamorgan 10,268 9,599 27 19 -8 151 Port Talbot 6,259 6,167 27 25 -2 208 Lliw Valley 5,882 5,368 27 16 -11 200 Neath 6,924 6,895 27 26 -1 210 Swansea 23,514 23,840 27 29 +2 213 Clwyd 225,056 228,557 147 158 +11 — Dyfed 203,291 201,935 146 141 -5 — Gwent 248,799 247,225 146 141 -5 — Gwynedd 141,985 139,287 147 132 -15 — Mid Glamorgan 319,716 319,296 146 145 -1 — Powys 77,887 74,342 147 109 -38 — South Glamorgan 226,991 222,909 147 133 -14 — West Glamorgan 209,474 219,651 147 184 +37 — Total districts 307,200 307,198 27 27 0 174 Total counties 1,653,200 1,653,202 147 147 0 — Total Wales 1,960,400 1,960,400 174 174 0 174 8.6 per cent. compared with the equivalent figure for 1989–90. Both increases provide sufficient resources to enable local councils to meet their obligations without reducing services and without passing extra costs on to their community charge payers. The community charge for standard spending for Wales is £174. This is achievable if all authorities spend in line with my proposals.
The community charges which could be set by individual councils if they were to spend at the same level as their rates and grants income for 1989–90, increased to equate in total to £2,114.5 million and after adjusting for changes in funding arrangements, are set out in the table. The figures are provisional at this stage and are subject to amendment in the light of final population figures and other data changes. I look to councils in setting their budgets and actual community charges to ensure that their charge payers can share in the benefits of the realistic settlement that I have proposed for 1990–91.
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1 These exemplifications are based on provisional population figures from community charge registers and are subject to change in the light of final population figures and other data. A fuller description is given below. 2 District expenditure figures include community councils' precepts and the district charge includes the average community council charge for the district area. Standard Spending Assessments
The Secretary of State's provisional assessment of the spending level for each authority to be financed by Revenue Support Grant, income from the non-domestic rate pool and community charges in order to provide a standard level of service.Expenditure projection
Each authority's projected spending level, consistent with Standard Spending Assessments, based on 1989–90 budgets adjusted for changes in functions and funding arrangements and inflated to 1990–91 levels.Community charge for Standard Spending (CCSS)
The community charge component each authority could set if it spent in line with its Standard Spending Assessment and if appropriate payments were to be received from all those on the provisional community charges register. Variations in the CCSS between districts or between counties reflect the way library services are provided in each area.District and county council charges
The community charge component each authority could set if it spent in line with its expenditure projection and if appropriate payments were to be received from all those on the provisional community charges register. District charges include the average community council charge for the district area.Difference assuming present spending patterns
The District or county charge minus the CCSS.Total Community charge
The sum of the district (including average community council) and the appropriate county council components of the community charge, assuming each authority spends in line with its expenditure projection.
§ Mr. Gwilym JonesTo ask the Secretary of State for Wales what progress has been made by community charge registration officers in Wales in compiling community charge registers for 1990–91.
§ Mr. Peter WalkerExcellent progress has been made. I have received provisional estimates of registered population as at 9 November from all 37 community charge registration officers in Wales. They show a very high rate of registration. Estimates of adult population from the registers are very close, for all authorities, to the equivalent estimates based on data provided by the registrar general. The total for Wales is slightly above the registrar general's 1988 mid-year estimate.