The cabinet of Monmouthshire County Council will consider its final budget proposals to tackle a £26million deficit at its meeting on St David's Day, March 1.

On the agenda is a council tax increase of 5.95 per cent, service savings, income increases and a one-off use of council reserves.

The updated budget follows public consultations throughout January on the original 'draft' proposals.

Councillors acknowledge they will have to tackle pressures such as public sector pay awards, energy and commodity price increases alongside a big increase in demand and complexity of social care and homelessness services.

 A statement from MCC said debate during the consultations had been honest, open and thorough. The majority of people that offered views recognised just how difficult the financial situation is and that the medium term outlook looks challenging.

 Cabinet also recognised a number of key concerns raised and is recommending a series of changes to its budget proposals. 

 These include delivering savings within adult social care with £1million of savings delayed into 2024/25.

It also plans to limit the fee increase to attend before school clubs from £1 to £2 per day to only the first child, thus ensuring families with more than one child are not disproportionately impacted.

To remove the proposed increase in the concessionary fee for home to school transport.

To remove the proposed £30 subscription fee for the Grass Routes Bus Service and to remove a proposed increase in the licence fees for pavement cafés.

Other proposals include scrapping a reduction in opening hours in leisure centres during the summer months and not cutting community hub hours.

There is also a proposal to spend £0.5 million a year over the next four hears to repair potholes plus an additional £50,000 to allow for surveys and assessments of bridges across the public rights of way network.

Councillor Rachel Garrick, cabinet member for resources said: “This has been a very difficult process. With a financial challenge of this scale there just isn’t an easy way through. We have done our very best to come up with a set of proposals that are balanced and considerate of the impact on all of our residents.

''We are recommending a Council Tax increase of 5.95 per cent. Whilst significantly below inflation, I recognise that this will be a challenge for some residents. We will be doing our upmost to ensure that people who are entitled to receive a discount benefit from that discount.”

 The final budget will be considered by Cabinet on March 1. It will then be the subject of a full council consideration on March 2.