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Council Tax Explained 2024

The Council has agreed it’s budget for 2024/25, and is planning to invest a total of £185million into providing services for the people of Blaenau Gwent. The Budget seeks to protect the frontline services most valued by residents and keep the Council Tax increase as one of the lowest in Wales

The agreed budget will see funding for Social Services of £53.5m, Schools £56.3m, and Environmental Services £36m. The budget for the Council Tax Reduction Scheme has been maintained at £10m to provide financial assistance to eligible local residents.

For the next financial year, the Council has recognised the impact the continuing high levels of inflation is having on household budgets, and has agreed to support the budget with a contribution from reserves of £1.5m, this is the second consecutive year that reserves will be used to balance the budget and has resulted in the Council minimising the increase in Council Tax levied by Blaenau Gwent CBC to 4.95%.

The Council will continue to monitor budgets closely throughout 2024/2025, and for the medium term, the Council is continuing with its strategic financial programme called Bridging the Gap, which will enable it to plan its spending in line with its funding. Within this framework, the Council will be looking at further ways to achieve reduced costs and increase income, whilst mitigating the impact on services.

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Your Council Tax Bill 2024/2025

Comparison of 2023/2024 and 2024/2025 Estimated Net Revenue Expenditure.

Ìý Ìý Ìý Ìý Ìý Ìý ÌýPortfolio	Ìý Ìý Ìý Ìý Ìý2023/ 2024	Ìý Ìý Ìý2024/ 2025	Ìý Ìý Ìý%Ìý ÌýIncrease
Ìý	Ìý ÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌý£000	Ìý Ìý Ìý Ìý Ìý£000	Ìý
Corporate Services	Ìý Ìý Ìý Ìý Ìý Ìý Ìý18,633	Ìý Ìý Ìý Ìý 26,293	Ìý 41.11
Social Services	Ìý Ìý Ìý Ìý Ìý Ìý Ìý54,065	Ìý Ìý Ìý Ìý 53,159	Ìý -1.68
Active Living and Learning	Ìý Ìý Ìý Ìý Ìý Ìý Ìý69,011	Ìý Ìý Ìý Ìý 69,032	Ìý Ìý 0.03
Economy	Ìý Ìý Ìý Ìý Ìý Ìý Ìý 1,356	Ìý Ìý Ìý Ìý Ìý Ìý Ìý470	Ìý -65.33
Environment	Ìý Ìý Ìý Ìý Ìý Ìý 29,260	Ìý Ìý Ìý Ìý28,183	Ìý -3.68
Planning & Licensing	Ìý Ìý Ìý Ìý Ìý Ìý Ìý1,543	Ìý Ìý Ìý Ìý Ìý1,145	Ìý -25.80
Other	Ìý Ìý Ìý Ìý Ìý Ìý Ìý Ìý150	Ìý Ìý Ìý Ìý Ìý Ìý124	Ìý -17.19
Total Net Revenue Expenditure	Ìý Ìý Ìý Ìý Ìý 174,018	Ìý Ìý Ìý 178,406	ÌýÌý

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How the Budget is Funded

Funding Source	Ìý Ìý Ìý Ìý Ìý Ìý Ìý Ìý Ìý Ìý Ìý Ìý Ìý 2024 / 2025	Ìý
Ìý	Ìý Ìý Ìý Ìý Ìý Ìý Ìý Ìý Ìý Ìý Ìý Ìý Ìý Ìý Ìý £000	Ìý Ìý Ìý%
Council Tax	Ìý Ìý Ìý Ìý Ìý Ìý Ìý Ìý Ìý Ìý Ìý Ìý Ìý Ìý Ìý40,196	Ìý Ìý21.6
Revenue Support Grant	Ìý Ìý Ìý Ìý Ìý Ìý Ìý Ìý Ìý Ìý Ìý Ìý Ìý Ìý119,663	Ìý Ìý64.4
Reserves	Ìý Ìý Ìý Ìý Ìý Ìý Ìý Ìý Ìý Ìý Ìý Ìý Ìý Ìý Ìý 1,500	Ìý Ìý Ìý0.8
NNDR	Ìý Ìý Ìý Ìý Ìý Ìý Ìý Ìý Ìý Ìý Ìý Ìý Ìý Ìý 24,381	Ìý Ìý13.1
Total	Ìý Ìý Ìý Ìý Ìý Ìý Ìý Ìý Ìý Ìý Ìý Ìý Ìý 185,740	Ìý100.0

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Capital Expenditure

In 2024/2025 the Council estimates that it's total Capital Expenditure will be as follows:

Ìý	Ìý Ìý Ìý Ìý Ìý Ìý 2023/24	Ìý Ìý Ìý Ìý Ìý Ìý Ìý 2024/25
Ìý	Ìý Ìý Ìý Ìý Ìý Ìý Ìý £000	Ìý Ìý Ìý Ìý Ìý Ìý Ìý Ìý Ìý£000
Other Services	Ìý Ìý Ìý Ìý Ìý Ìý 73,233	Ìý Ìý Ìý Ìý Ìý Ìý Ìý Ìý28,145
Total	Ìý Ìý Ìý Ìý Ìý Ìý 73,233	Ìý Ìý Ìý Ìý Ìý Ìý Ìý Ìý28,145

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Estimated Financial Reserves

Revenue Reserves – dedicated general reserves are estimated to stand at £13.0 million at the year end.

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Standard Spending Assessments

The Councils Standard Spending Assessment for 2023/2024 has been determined by the National Assembly for Wales asÌý £171,843 for 2023/2024 and £178,361 for 2024/25.

Authority’s Budget Requirement

The Authority’s budget requirement for the year 2023/2024 is £181,850 and £185,740 for 2024/25.

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Council Tax For Each Area 2024/2025

Band/ Community	Ìý Ìý Ìý A	Ìý Ìý B	Ìý Ìý ÌýC	Ìý Ìý D	Ìý Ìý E	Ìý Ìý F	Ìý Ìý G	Ìý Ìý ÌýH	Ìý Ìý Ìý I
Abertillery & Llanhilleth	1567.96	1829.28	2090.61	2351.94	2874.60	3397.24	3919.90	4703.88	5487.86
ÌýBrynmawr	1530.46	1785.54	2040.62	2295.70	2805.86	3316.01	3826.16	4591.40	5356.64
ÌýNantyglo &Ìý ÌýBlaina	1538.76	1795.23	2051.69	2308.15	2821.07	3333.99	3846.91	4616.30	5385.69
ÌýTredegar	1536.90	1793.06	2049.21	2305.36	2817.66	3329.96	3842.26	4610.72	5379.18
ÌýEbbw Vale /Ìý ÌýCwm /Ìý Beaufort	1512.95	1765.11	2017.27	2269.43	2773.75	3278.06	3782.38	4538.86	5295.34

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Precepts and Levies

The following bodies have precepted upon Blaenau Gwent CBC:

Ìý	Ìý 2023/24	Ìý ÌýBand DÌý ÌýEquivalent	Ìý 2024/25	Ìý Band DÌý ÌýEquivalent
ÌýGwent Police	Ìý6,752,190	Ìý Ìý324.52	Ìý7,317,677Ìý	Ìý Ìý349.52
Ìý	Ìý Ìý 289,000	Ìý Ìý Ìý62.58	Ìý Ìý381,131	Ìý Ìý 82.51
Ìý	Ìý Ìý Ìý 43,000	Ìý Ìý Ìý25.40	Ìý Ìý 45,000	Ìý Ìý 26.27
Ìý	ÌýÌýÌýÌý 91,170	Ìý Ìý Ìý33.78	Ìý 105,000	Ìý Ìý 38.72
Ìý	ÌýÌý 159,161	Ìý Ìý Ìý33.60	Ìý 171,098	Ìý Ìý 35.93

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The following bodies have levied the sums indicated on the Council

Organisation	Ìý Ìý Ìý Ìý Ìý Ìý Ìý Ìý 2023/2024	Ìý Ìý Ìý 2024/2025	Ìý Ìý Ìý%Ìý ÌýIncrease
Brecon Beacons National Park	Ìý Ìý Ìý Ìý Ìý Ìý Ìý Ìý Ìý Ìý32,130	Ìý Ìý Ìý Ìý Ìý 32,130	ÌýÌýÌýÌýÌý 0
Fire Service	Ìý Ìý Ìý Ìý Ìý Ìý Ìý 3,953,469	Ìý Ìý Ìý 4,167,800	Ìý Ìý 5.42
Coroner's Court	Ìý Ìý Ìý Ìý Ìý Ìý Ìý Ìý Ìý152,010	Ìý Ìý Ìý Ìý Ìý174,980	Ìý 15.11
Total	Ìý Ìý Ìý Ìý Ìý Ìý Ìý 4,137,609	Ìý Ìý Ìý 4,374,910	Ìý Ìý 5.74

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