Councillors in Flintshire asked to back 9.5% rise in council tax

Senior councillors in Flintshire will be asked to approve a council tax rise of 9.5% for the 2025/26 financial year.

Flintshire County Council’s cabinet committee will meet on 24 February to discuss the proposals, which will then be presented to the full council later the same day for a final decision.

The increase, which includes an 8.93% rise for council services and a 0.57% contribution to the North Wales Fire and Rescue Service and Regional Coroners Service, means a Band D household will pay an extra £157.53 per year. This will bring the total to £1,815.78.

Council leaders say the rise is necessary to close a funding gap of £18m, driven by rising costs in social care, education, and homelessness support.

Budget pressures and cost reductions

Flintshire County Council has faced significant financial challenges in setting a balanced budget for the coming year.

The council’s budget uplift from the Welsh Government was the fourth lowest in the country, prompting the cabinet to support calls for a ‘funding floor’ to help councils that lose out under the Barnett formula.

An initial £18m shortfall, reported in January, increased to £23.1m following further cost assessments. Rising demand for social care services, out-of-county placements for vulnerable children, and increased costs for homelessness support have been identified as major pressures.

To help close the gap, the council has identified £3.3m in cost reductions across departments, alongside an additional £2.7m in reduced cost pressures.

Schools will also contribute through a 2.5% reduction in their delegated budgets, amounting to £2.9m, despite concerns raised by the Education, Youth and Culture Overview and Scrutiny Committee.

A further £2m will come from an expected government grant for waste collection and recycling, though full details of this funding are yet to be confirmed. The council also plans to use £261,000 from its reserves to cover one-off costs, including support for Cambrian Aquatics and temporary payroll staff.

Services facing increased demand

Social care remains one of the council’s biggest financial challenges. A 12% increase in funding has been included in the budget to cover growing demand in adult and children’s services, with an additional £1.5m allocated for older people’s services, £1m for children’s services, and £1m for disability services. The council is also facing rising costs for commissioned care and support for vulnerable residents.

Homelessness services are another major pressure, with the council estimating a £4.5m shortfall due to rising demand for emergency accommodation.

While efforts are being made to mitigate this—such as securing additional properties and improving homelessness prevention—officials warn that any further increase in demand could worsen financial pressures.

Schools will see a net budget uplift of £6.95m, though this includes increased employer pension and national insurance contributions.

Education leaders have raised concerns about the long-term sustainability of school funding, given national financial constraints.

Future financial risks

Even with the proposed budget, the council is warning of ongoing financial risks.

These include uncertainty over future government funding, potential increases in pay settlements, and legal costs linked to employment tribunal claims.

The council also remains at risk of financial penalties from the Welsh Government for failing to meet statutory recycling targets.

While a previously reported £663,000 fine for 2021/22 has been waived, the authority could still face penalties of at least £540,000 for 2022/23 and 2023/24.

Looking ahead, the council is projecting a further budget shortfall of £19.5m in 2026/27 and £19m in 2027/28 unless additional funding is secured or further cost reductions are made.

Decision expected next week

Flintshire councillors will meet on 24 February to finalise the budget and vote on the council tax increase.

If approved, the new council tax rates will take effect from April.