PRESS RELEASE : Local Government settlement reflects longstanding Welsh Conservative calls [December 2022]

The press release issued by the Welsh Conservatives on 14 December 2022.

The Welsh Conservatives had long been calling for the enormous reserves held by many councils to be put to better use to ease the fiscal situation.

Commenting, Welsh Conservative Shadow Local Government Minister, Sam Rowlands MS said:

“I welcome the funding settlements for councils that bares a degree of reflection to the substantial usable reserves held by some councils.

“It is worth repeating these calls as the hundreds of millions of reserves could certainly be put to better use delivering frontline services to local people.

“We were also pleased to see that our calls for fair funding for rural communities being listened to, with North Wales councils finally finding themselves in the top half of the table.”

10 of the 22 Welsh councils had usable reserves of over £100 million. Rhondda Cynon Taf council had been sitting on £207 million, according to the Labour Government’s own figures.