Council tax bills in Powys are to rise by 2.9 per cent after councillors narrowly backed the increase in a vote on Thursday (February 25).

The move, which means that a Band D property will pay an extra £39.58 for the year, or 76 pence a week, was voted through by 38 votes to 34 at a meeting of the full council.

On Monday night an amendment to the tax was put forward which saw the Independent/Conservative group reduce a previous proposal for a 3.9 per cent increase, to 2.9 per cent, a decision underpinned by £2.6 million of funding from the Welsh Government.

Discussion on an alternative budget put forward jointly by all the opposition groups did not take place at the meeting.

Council leader Cllr Rosemarie Harris (Independent – Llangynidr), who seconded the proposals, said: “This is a budget that is grounded in reality.

“Not only have the service budgets and savings being considered by the cabinet but every single aspect of this has been discussed, robustly challenged and considered."

Part of the changes include setting up Powys Recovery Fund which is set to receive £1.8 million over two years to help the county recover from Covid-19.

On the opposition’s alternative budget, Cllr Harris added: “We’re still in the pandemic there will be very serious ongoing risks if we reduce the council tax increase level.

“It means there will be less money coming in to the council next year.

“There are various suggestions in there that I’m uncomfortable with, there are many unanswered questions unanswered.”

She pointed out that some building projects may not have started but contracts had been exchanged, and queried which ones would the opposition stop in order to deliver its proposals.

Responding to the budget, Liberal Democrat and Green group leader, Cllr James Gibson-Watt said that he was “extremely disappointed” not to be able to outline the alternative budget.

Cllr Gibson-Watt (Glasbury) said: “Once more we are facing a budget debate, which is basically, you take what has been offered to you or you leave it, without the opportunity to discuss a viable alternative.”

He explained that the alternative budget had fallen down to changes they proposed to travel costs which had created a “risk” in the budget

Cllr Gibson-Watt said: “However, I do believe that the risks inherent in the alternative were not really significantly greater than that which has been presented to us in amended form, just a few days ago.”

He pointed out that there is just under £11.9 million worth of cuts and savings in the 2021/22 budget, included some that are “very important  in the recovery process”.

Cllr Mathew Dorrance, leader of the Labour group, (Brecon St John), said: “I find it incredulous that we have been unable to discuss our budget proposals.

“Our alternative proposals would have protected services and kept the budget low,

“We as opposition leaders should have been briefed about the additional funding from the Welsh Government.

“We should have had access to that information that could have formed part of our proposals.”

Councillors will return to formally set the budget at a meeting on Thursday, March 4.

The police and community council precept is added to the Council Tax bill.

With the Council Tax and grant funding added to the budget, the council's total figure for 2021/22 will be £279.807 million.