Conwy Council predicts more economic gloom in 2009

Jan 1 2009 by Richard Evans, North Wales Weekly News

Dilwyn Morgan

TOUGH times loom ahead for Conwy county over the next two years, but there are positives on the horizon too.

Conwy County Council leader Dilwyn Roberts has predicted that the county will face double trouble in 2009/10 due to a poor budget from the Assembly coupled with the national economic meltdown.

Last year Conwy received a 2% rise in budget on the previous financial year, but this year the figure is even lower, at 1.5%.

Councillors have complained that the formula the Assembly uses for calculating the budget doesn’t take into account the fact Conwy has an ageing population, as well as a transient population during holiday season and falling pupil numbers in schools. These factors should translate into a better budget figure, argue councillors.

Cllr Roberts says times ahead may be difficult and hopes a meeting next month will ease the situation.

“We’ve been very disappointed by the poor settlement we’ve had from the Assembly. We’re working very hard to see how we can benefit Conwy. The Assembly is looking at certain things which affect the formula they use and there’s going to be a meeting to discuss that in February.

“We’ve got an ageing population and the number of children of school age is going down. These are the main factors affecting Conwy’s budget settlement, and we have told the Assembly that the formula is disadvantaging Conwy.”

He added: “It’s difficult times all over the country, so when you get a poor settlement it makes it even worse. We are planning for 2009 and 2010 on the assumption times are going to be hard.”

But despite this gloomy forecast, there are