The Vale of Glamorgan Council’s Cabinet has approved its draft budget proposals for 2025/26 for consultation. The Council must set a balanced budget for each year.

The Council will receive just under £223 million from Welsh Government for 2025/26, a figure that accounts for around two thirds of its income. The rest is made up of Council Tax. The Council also receives income from charging for its services.

The money received from Welsh Government is an increase of 3.3% from last year.

However, demand for certain critical council services continues to grow rapidly, as does the cost of delivering many other services.

The Vale of Glamorgan Council, in common with councils across both Wales and England, is experiencing significant financial pressures across both children and adult social care, in school finances especially Additional Learning Needs (ALN) provision, and in providing school transport.

This means the Council is facing a significant budget shortfall for next year. As a result, changes are needed to bring its spending in line with its income.

These changes are set out in the draft budget proposals which proposes £9 million in savings from Council budgets, increased charges for certain services, and a Council Tax increase of 6.9 per cent.

Charges for some services could rise, including green waste collections.

More sports and community groups would have the opportunity to gain greater independence by taking over the management of their facilities, an arrangement that has already proved extremely popular among bowls clubs and other organisations.

A review of how some social care services are provided is another way in which the Council could save money. A number of unused buildings could also be used as well as transfers to community groups.

There are also proposals to generate additional income. For example, linked to the Council’s Regeneration Programme and the successful Levelling Up bid that will see the creation of a marina in Barry, there is a plan to rent office space in the nearby Dock Office.