THE settlement Pembrokeshire County Council from the Welsh Government is “extremely challenging” but “better than anticipated”.

Cabinet member for finance Cllr Bob Kilmister’s reaction to the provisional Local Government Settlement for 2018-2019 adds: “At least we do not find ourselves near the bottom of the rankings as has been the case in previous years.”

Pembrokeshire will receive £160,084,000 which includes £7,077,000 for council tax reduction schemes.

This is a 0.4% decrease on last year’s settlement and ranks the authority at number nine of 22.

This budget also provides provision to scrap the Cleddau Bridge tolls by 2020 with £2,000,000 put aside.

Cabinet Secretary for finance and local government Mark Drakeford AM announced the provisional settlement on Tuesday, October 10.

He states: “This is a realistic settlement that continues to protect local government from significant cuts against a backdrop of reducing budgets from the UK Government.

“Within the settlement funding has been provided for essential public services such as education and social care.

“This Welsh Government remains committed to protecting vulnerable and low-income households from any reduction in support under the Council tax Reduction Schemes, despite the shortfall in the funding transferred by the UK Government following its abolition of Council Tax Benefit.

“While Welsh local government continues to be protected from the impact of austerity explained elsewhere, I recognise that this settlement is still a real terms cut in core funding, when authorities face real pressure from such things as an ageing population, pay and other inflationary pressures.”

A formal consultation on the budget settlement will run until November 21.