Local Assembly Member Paul Davies has criticised the Welsh Government’s record of delivery for rural Wales, by highlighting figures that show rural local authorities, including Pembrokeshire have been disproportionally hit in the Welsh Government’s draft local government settlement. Pembrokeshire will face a cut of 2.8%; Cardiff, meanwhile, by just 0.1%.
Mr Davies said: “It’s quite clear that rural authorities in Wales have received a very difficult settlement from the Welsh Government, which will come as no surprise. The Welsh Government’s draft local government settlement proves that the whole formula needs to be reconsidered, given the inexplicable variance in cuts between local authorities. Mid and West Wales has seen cuts ranging from 4.1% in Powys to 2.8% in Pembrokeshire and yet, areas like Cardiff and Neath Port-Talbot are facing a much more moderate cut in their finances. Once again, the Welsh Government proves that it simply does not get rural Wales, or the challenges that rural communities face.”