Bridgend council leader says 'no alternative' to 5.4% tax hike

Image source, Jaggery

Image caption, Bus services in Bridgend could be hit if subsidies are cut

Residents of Bridgend face a 5.4% increase in council tax after councillors agreed a new budget including 拢7.6m of cuts.

Bus subsidies, CCTV, arts and leisure centres are likely to be hit although some of the planned cuts are still being consulted on.

Plans to cut day services for elderly and disabled people were dropped, along with 1% cuts in school budgets.

Council leader Huw David said there was "no alternative" to higher council tax.

Bridgend council has been forced to look at saving money after Welsh Government funding for 2019/20 fell by 0.1% from the previous year.

The council budget was approved at a meeting of the Labour-led authority on Wednesday.

It means council tax for the year on a Band D property would go up by 拢75 to 拢1,470.87, not including any police or community council charge.