The MP for Brecon and Radnorshire Chris Davies has reacted with "utter disbelief" after Powys County Council was hit with a 1% cut to it's budget - and delivered a broadside to Liberal Democrat AM Kirsty Williams.

Mr Davies said the fact that Powys had received a cut while Labour councils in South Wales had seen a budget increase was a "political choice" on the part of the Welsh Government.

"I am in utter disbelief that Powys is having its budget cut by the Welsh Government for the 8th year in a row," he said.

"My Welsh Conservative colleagues and I have lobbied relentlessly in Westminster to ensure the UK Government gives increased funding to Wales. This year the UK Government announced they would give an extra £1.2billion to Wales for frontline services, an increase in its budget of over 5%, and I said I wanted to see a large amount of this money spent on our health and social care system as well as other frontline services.

"I cannot believe that the Welsh Labour/Liberal coalition in Cardiff have decided to cut local government funding for most councils yet again, with Mid and North of Wales being hit hardest. Note all councils given an increase are Labour run councils

"The continued choice to cut local government is a political decision by the Liberal/Labour coalition in Cardiff Bay."

Mr Davies also slammed Brecon and Radnor AM Kirsty Williams, accusing her of "propping up" a government which he said was "holding our country back", before criticising a plan to expand the Welsh Assembly by around 20-30 members and renaming it to the "Welsh parliament", part of a group of local government reforms which could also see 16-17 year olds given the vote in Wales.

"Just what is our Assembly Member for Brecon and Radnorshire doing? She should be using her position as a member of the Welsh Government to stand up for Powys. All I can see her doing is propping up a Welsh Labour Government in Cardiff Bay which is holding our country back," he added.

"They plan on spending multi-millions expanding the number of Welsh Assembly Members in the next few years and turning it into a ‘Welsh Parliament’. This will involve them taking on hundreds of new civil servants in Cardiff Bay.

"At the same time they are cutting bread and butter services that we rely on whilst blaming Westminster. Wales gets more than money per head to spend on public services than England and we are still having our services cut.

"I urge the Welsh Government to start thinking logically and direct funding towards the frontline. "