Plaid Cymru administration ‘punishing residents’ while ‘splashing cash on vanity projects’, claims Llanelli councillor

A Llanelli Councillor formerly the Leader of the opposition at Carmarthenshire County Council has launched a scathing attack on the Plaid Cymru administration’s plans to increase council tax and cut spending on essential services.

In a statement, Cllr Rob James said: “The claim that Plaid Cymru Councillors have listened to the residents is astonishing and couldn’t be further from the truth. Residents continue to struggle with the large increase in the cost of living over recent years and calling on them to find on average another £100 a year for council tax, without factoring increases in the police and community councils precept is tin-eared.

“This budget proposal is another example of Councillors sticking their heads in the sand and trying to avoid making decisions. Three years ago we saw a proposal to look at our school footprint, yet we see that can has now been kicked to 2026 in this budget. Not only are Plaid Cymru leaders comfortable with our children being taught in crumbling schools, but this budget also rips precious resources from our pupils and teaching staff. Plaid Cymru have created a dark cloud over the future of some of our smallest schools and we are now demanding answers on how they plan to deliver education in future years.

“Under Plaid Cymru, taxpayers in Carmarthenshire have seen their council tax increase by nearly 50% in 9 years – over £500 a year increase. This is not unsustainable and residents are rightly questioning why they are paying more each year for reduced services.

“It is welcoming that the consultation has had over 4000 respondents and we will seek to look closely at the responses. However, we were concerned that there was no mention of this council’s plans to cut social services when it is one of the largest departments and the consultation didn’t even offer respondents the opportunity to suggest a council tax increase lower than 6%.

“There is a clear alternative to this budget which involves utilising our reserves (as other Welsh authorities have), stopping spending millions each year on outside consultants, selling off empty office space, working with communities to create sustainable community-based services and stop the vanity projects, especially when their a rapidly approaching half a billion of debt.

“I hope this administration will take the time to speak to their local residents before our meeting and realise that people simply cannot afford another £100 a year for council tax when every other bill is increasing.”