§ Mr. LivseyTo ask the Secretary of State for Wales what were the costs of collecting and administering the present rating system in Wales for the last five years; and what is the expected cost of collecting and administering the poll tax.
§ Mr. Wyn RobertsThe costs of collecting and administering the present rating system in Wales for each of the last five years are shown in the table:
660W
Net current expenditure Year £ million 1985–86 7.89 1986–87 8.41 1987–88 8.90
Year £ million 1988–89 9.76 1989–90 19.80 1 As recorded in local authority budgets for 1989–90. The 1989 report of the expenditure sub-group to the settlement working group estimated that the cost of collection and administration of the community charge in Wales in 1990–91 would be £25.6 million.
§ Mr. Gwilym JonesTo ask the Secretary of State for Wales (1) if he will list in appropriate order, according to the latest available information, the community charge for 1990–91 for each of the county councils in Wales and his own assessment;
(2) if he will list in appropriate order, according to the latest available information, the community charge for 1990–91 for each of the district councils in Wales and his own assessment.
§ Mr. Wyn RobertsWe have received no information from local authorities in Wales on 1990–91 community charge levels. Charging authorities are being asked to return this information in April. Details of my assessments of the county and district components of community charges for spending in line with the 1990–91 revenue support grant settlement are given in the following tables:
661W
District component of community charge1 For standard spending £
Assuming present spending patterns £
Alyn and Deeside 26.97 29 Colwyn 26.97 31 Delyn 26.97 45 Glyndwr 26.97 26 Rhuddlan 26.97 43 Wrexham Maelor 26.97 29 Carmarthen 26.97 10 Ceredigion 26.97 21 Dinefwr 26.97 8 Llanelli 29.23 42 Preseli Pembrokeshire 26.97 12 South Pembrokeshire 26.97 10 Blaenau Gwent 26.97 42 Islwyn 26.97 28 Monmouth 26.97 32 Newport 29.23 34 Torfaen 26.97 26 Aberconwy 26.97 38 Arfon 26.97 23 Dwyfor 26.97 19 Meirionnydd 26.97 44 Ynys Mon 26.97 38 Cynon Valley 29.23 23 Merthyr Tydfil 29.23 27 Ogwr 26.97 33 Rhondda 29.23 12 Rhymney Valley 26.97 38 Taff Ely 26.97 8 Brecknock 26.97 25 Montgomeryshire 26.97 11 Radnorshire 26.97 21 Cardiff 26.97 29 Vale of Glamorgan 26.97 19 Port Talbot 26.97 23 Lliw Valley 26.97 16 Neath 26.97 26 Swansea 26.97 31 Clwyd 145.55 155 Dyfed 145.12 142 Gwent 144.91 141 Gwynedd 145.55 130 Mid Glamorgan 144.81 145
For standard spending Assuming present spending patterns £ £ Powys 145.5 108 South Glamorgan 145.5 128 West Glamorgan 145.5 184 1 Includes community councils.
§ Mr. Gwilym JonesTo ask the Secretary of State for Wales (1) if he will list in appropriate order, according to the latest available information, by how much in cash and percentage terms each of the district councils in Wales are planning to increase their spending in 1990–91;
(2) if he will list in appropriate order, according to the latest available information, the planned spending in 1990–91 of all district councils in Wales and the consequent percentage of his standard spending assessment;
(3) if he will list in appropriate order, according to the latest available information, by how much in cash and percentage terms each of the county councils in Wales are planning to increase their spending in 1990–91;
(4) if he will list in appropriate order, according to the latest available information, the planned spending in 1990–91 of all county councils in Wales and the consequent percentage of his standard spending assessment.
§ Mr. GristWe have received no information from Welsh local authorities on their planned spending in 1990–91. Authorities are being asked to return budget details in March.
§ Mr. Gwilym JonesTo ask the Secretary of State for Wales pursuant to his statement on 24 January,Official Report, columns 993-94, what proposals he has received from South Glamorgan, Powys, Gwynedd, Newport and Cardiff councils for lower community charges for the forthcoming financial year.
§ Mr. Gwilym JonesTo ask the Secretary of State for Wales (1) what analysis he has made of Cardiff city council's planned spending for 1990–91; and what is his assessment of how much of that planned spending will be expended in the financial year;
(2) what analysis he has made of South Glamorgan council's planned spending for 1990–91; and what is his assessment of how much of that planned spending will be expended in the financial year.
§ Mr. Gwilym JonesTo ask the Secretary of State for Wales what assessment he has made of the estimates published by the Council of Welsh District Councils on 20 December 1989 with regard to the average community charge for Wales in 1990–91 and the 1990–91 total community charge for Cardiff and South Glamorgan councils.
§ Mr. GristThe estimates published by the Council of Welsh Districts on 20 December 1989 were of an average community charge in Wales of £209 and a community charge in Cardiff (including South Glamorgan county council's precept) of £193. It appears that these estimates were based on levels of spending 4 per cent. in excess of the 1990–91 local authority revenue settlement.
662WOur assessment is that such increases are too high. The 1990–91 settlement for Wales allows for an increase of 7.1 per cent. in local authority expenditure—entirely adequate to maintain and where appropriate develop council services. On this basis the average community charge in Wales would be £173. However, if Cardiff city council and South Glamorgan county council were to increase their spending line with the settlement the community charge in Cardiff need be only £157.
Press reports indicate that on the basis of the expenditure plans apparently under consideration by the two councils the community charge in Cardiff could be as high as £235. We have urged both councils to exercise restraints over their spending in order to contain it to levels nearer the Department's plans. Such action would bring very significant benefits for chargepayers in Cardiff whilst allowing services to be maintained and developed.
Dr. ThomasTo ask the Secretary of State for Wales what was the total budget of each county and district council in Gwynedd and Clwyd in(a) 1988–89 and (b) 1989–90.
§ Mr. GristThe information requested is published in table 8.5 of "Welsh Local Government Financial Statistics" No. 13, 1989.