§ Mr. LlwydTo ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will estimate the average council tax payment due in each district council area in Wales in the current financial year.
§ Mr. RedwoodThe average council tax set in each district council area in 1993–94 is given in the following table. The average amount due to be paid in each area will be reduced by the average council tax benefit granted for that area. Information on district benefit levels is not held centrally.
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£ Alyn and Deeside 366 Colwyn 352 Delyn 370 Glyndwr 355 Rhuddlan 354 Wrexham Maelor 343 Carmarthen 342 Ceredigion 356 Dinefwr 327 Llanelli 334 Preseli Pembrokeshire 326 South Pembrokeshire 315 Blaenau Gwent 230 Islwyn 254 Monmouth 363 Newport 285 Torfaen 268 Aberconwy 322 Arfon 283 Dwyfor 301 Meirionnydd 308 Ynys Mon 319 Cynon Valley 218
£ Merthyr Tydfil 214 Ogwr 261 Rhondda 203 Rhymney Valley 235 Taff Ely 277 Brecknock 322 Montgomeryshire 296 Radnorshire 301 Cardiff 283 Vale of Glamorgan 316 Port Talbot 291 Lliw Valley 311 Neath 325 Swansea 334 Total Wales 301
§ Mr. MurphyTo ask the Secretary of State for Wales what local authorities in Wales he intends to cap in respect of council tax.
§ Mr. RedwoodI have today laid before the House a draft order, under section 57 of the Local Government Finance Act 1992, setting out my decision on the final cap for Aberconwy borough council.
On 26 April my predecessor announced that he proposed to designate Aberconwy borough council for capping. He proposed a cap of £8,566,950, a reduction of £167,745 on the authority's budget of £8,734,695. On 21 May, Aberconwy wrote to challenge the proposed cap and suggested an alternative amount of £8,734,695—the same as its original budget.
In taking my decision, I have considered all the available relevant information, including the case made by
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Local Authority Budget Requirements, Non-Domestic Rales and Council Tax Income, 1993–94 Budget requirement Income1 from non-domestic rates Income1 from Council Tax as a percentage of Budget requirement £000 £000 % £000 Alyn and Deeside 10,240 2,256 22 1,784 Colwyn 7,709 1,769 23 1,056 Delyn 9,016 2,066 23 1,653 Glyndwr 5,347 1,306 24 731 Rhuddlan 8,795 1,721 20 1,226 Wrexham Maelor 16,453 3,530 21 2,616 Carmarthen 7,818 1,737 22 1,108 Ceredigion 10,063 2,101 21 1,611 Dinefwr 5,675 1,211 21 753 Llanelli 13,807 2,331 17 2,471 Preseli Pembrokeshire 10,844 2,161 20 1,157 South Pembrokeshire 7,034 1,286 18 529 Blaenau Gwent 15,004 2,339 16 988 Islwyn 11,133 2,026 18 967 Monmouth 9,725 2,351 24 1,932 Newport 22,929 4,068 18 2,664 Torfaen 13,811 2,742 20 1,594 Aberconwy 8,890 1,709 19 1,434 Arfon 9,519 1,713 18 1,117 Dwyfor 5,958 859 14 613 Meirionnydd 6,175 1,029 17 1,086 Ynys Mon 11,490 2,117 18 1,954 Cynon Valley 12,992 1,983 15 909 Merthyr Tydfil 11,986 1,785 15 754 Ogwr 20,603 4,056 20 1,988 Rhondda 17,225 2,406 14 914 Rhymney Valley 15,707 3,079 20 1,437 Taff Ely 14,977 2,960 20 2,157 Brecknock 6,279 1,282 20 1,123 the authority in support of a higher cap, and the impact of the flooding in the borough as a result of the severe weather between 10 June and 12 June 1993.
As a result, I have decided that in the current circumstances of the authority it would not be reasonable to proceed with the cap proposed by my predecessor and I have therefore decided to set the cap at £8,734,695—the level of Aberconwy borough council's original budget.
My decision arises from wholly exceptional circumstances in Aberconwy because of the flooding and the substantial unforeseen costs which the authority will have to bear, even allowing for assistance under the Bellwin scheme which I announced on 14 June. In the absence of the flooding, I would have proceeded to cap the borough council's budget at the proposed level and on the basis of the estimates it has given me, I still expect the council to draw on its reserves and make savings on its original budget to pay for the extra expenditure and revenue loss caused by the floods. The council and other authorities in Wales should be clear therefore that I am determined to ensure that all local authorities in Wales budget in line with my plans in future years.