Council Tax Information
How Council Tax is Spent
Information to Council taxpayers on planned expenditure and Council Tax level in 2025-26
Expenditure and Council Tax Level in 2025-26
The costs of the services administered by the County Council are shown below. The Mid & West Wales Fire and Rescue Service, the Pembrokeshire Coast National Park and the Town and Community Councils independently determine their own expenditure levels and resultant levies and precepts.
Local Government Finance Settlement:
The Standard Spending Assessment (the need to spend), calculated by the Welsh Government, is £332.2m which compares to the net Council expenditure of £326.3m shown below.
Capital Investment:
A programme of capital investment totalling £142.3m is planned for 2025-26, including slippage from previous years. This may be added to if additional funding approvals are received in the year.
Financial Reserves:
Revenue reserves – The working balances for 2025-26 are, Housing Revenue Account (£0.9m) and General Fund (£9.8m). Included in the net expenditure of the County Council Services set out below are the planned net appropriations from reserves of £5.9m earmarked for specific purposes (including £10.3m from the Council Tax Premiums for Second Homes and Long Term Empty Properties)
Planned Revenue Expenditure:
The revenue budget as summarised below may be added to if additional funding approvals are received in the year.
Copies of the integrated budget reports can be obtained from the Director of Resources, County Hall, Haverfordwest SA61 1TP or by searching meetings and agendas
County council services |
Gross expenditure 2022-26 (£,000) |
Income 2025-26 (£'000) |
Reserves 2025-26 (£'000) |
Net estimated expenditure 2025-26 (£'000) |
Net estimated expenditure 2024-25 (£,000) |
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|
Education – Individual School Budgets |
124,435 |
(17,092) |
(4,395) |
102,948 |
97,220 |
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|
Education - Other |
33,108 |
(10,985) |
188 |
23,311 |
22,094 |
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|
Cultural, Leisure, Tourism & Registration Services |
12,023 |
(7,265) |
224 |
4,982 |
5,622 |
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|
Social Care – Children’s Services |
45,775 |
(3,923) |
0 |
41,852 |
31,568 |
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|
Social Care – Adult Services |
128,167 |
(38,804) |
2 |
89,365 |
79,924 |
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|
Housing Services |
34,959 |
(33,534) |
5,212 |
6,637 |
5,895 |
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|
Infrastructure & Environmental Services |
46,193 |
(20,430) |
1,378 |
27,141 |
28,603 |
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|
Law & Governance |
3,083 |
(547) |
0 |
2,536 |
2,514 |
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|
Additional Efficiency Target |
(1,400) |
0 |
0 |
(1,400) |
- |
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|
Resources |
23,254 |
(16,586) |
939 |
7,607 |
5,205 |
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|
Council Tax Reduction Scheme |
12,041 |
0 |
0 |
12,041 |
11,181 |
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|
Vacancy Management |
(1,000) |
0 |
0 |
(1,000) |
(884) |
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|
Net Investment Income & Capital Financing Costs |
14,465 |
(1,605) |
30 |
12,890 |
13,136 |
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|
Assistant Chief Executive Services Total |
10,421 |
(8,705) |
809 |
2,525 |
3,871 |
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|
Holding / Trading (to be allocated) |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
553 |
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|
Increase in Direct Employees National Insurance Contribution / Teachers Pension Pay Award |
0 |
(4,900) |
0 |
(4,900) |
3000 |
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|
Council Tax Premiums (2nd Home & LTE) |
0 |
0 |
(10,327) |
(10,327) |
(10,838) |
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|
Cost Of Council Services |
485,824 |
(164,198) |
(5,940) |
315,208 |
292,664 |
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Levies and Community Precepts |
Net Estimated Expenditure 2025-26 (£’000) |
Net Estimated Expenditure 2024-25 (£’000) |
|
Pembrokeshire Coast National Park |
1,138 |
1,084 |
|
Mid and West Wales Fire and Rescue Service |
9,987 |
9,448 |
|
Town and Community Council precepts |
2,972 |
2,743 |
|
Budget requirement |
329,305 |
305,939 |
|
Add: Discretionary rate relief |
300 |
300 |
|
Less: Town and Community Council Precepts |
(2,972) |
(2,743) |
|
Net County Council Expenditure and Levies |
326,633 |
303,496 |
|
Less: Revenue Support Grant |
(188,214) |
(173,198) |
|
Non-Domestic Rates Share |
(45,320) |
(45,672) |
|
Total Charge to taxpayers for County Council Services and Levies |
93,099 |
84,626 |