By Elgan Hearn, Local Democracy Reporter
Residents facing an eye-watering Council Tax rise of more than five per cent from April have been taking to social media to vent their frustrations.
They are saying that they cannot afford a rise.
And if services are passed on to a town or community council they are worried they face “double tax hikes.”
Next year about £17 million will need to be found to plug a funding black hole and £41 million over three years.
Dylan Thomas, said on Facebook: “I would still like to know with the reduction in services provided and with other services being taken over by town councils and also an increase in council tax which is always larger than inflation where the money actually goes?”
Ann Jones said Where do they think everybody can keep finding money from?” Get into the real world."
Roni Hough said: “Are they going to up people’s wages to help pay the increase. We are a fairly low paid area as it is without increased expenditure for less services.”
Lesley Richard’s said: “We moved to this area from Oxfordshire; we paid much less council tax and had mains sewerage, gas, street lighting, garden waste collections.
“Here we have no mains gas, a septic tank, no street lighting; we have to take our recycling and bin down to the roadside as council won’t collect from drive. We take our garden waste down to the skip.
“We never see any Police. And for all this, they have the nerve to increase the charge. £100 last year and how much this time?”
Powys County Council poverty champion and non-aligned councillor, Joy Jones, who represents Newtown East, said: “People are really getting scared that the council tax will rise by more than five per cent, as they just can’t afford it.
“It’s getting to the point that people will be finding bailiffs knocking on their doors, houses and possessions repossessed as they can’t afford to pay the bills anymore.
"This is not a rich area, people are living hand to mouth. It’s fine in theory to pass services over to town or community councils, but now that the grants to run things are drying up, the only way to pay for things is to increase the council tax precept.”
“I’ve been in discussions about this and feel the need to shout “stop” don’t take even more on.
“To some £20 or £30 may seem like small sums to raise – but for some people I know, even £1 more is too much. That’s how bad the situation is getting.”
