Llanelli Town Council proposes no tax increase for residents

Llanelli Town Council last has voted not to increase the community element of the Council Tax levied on Llanelli ratepayers.

In a move described as “sensible and necessary” Llanelli Town Council voted to utilise part of its reserves to ensure that the amount of tax taken from Llanelli ratepayers will actually be reduced.

Llanelli Town Council’s element of the overall Council Tax will decrease slightly for ratepayers. While a modest reduction, other community councils have followed Carmarthenshire County Council’s lead an increased their tax demand, Llanelli ratepayers will not see their community council tax element increased.

“Because of sensible and sound financial management, Llanelli Town Council has been able not to increase what is takes of local ratepayers,” said Council Leader Shahana Najmi, “The last year has seen unprecedented challenges and hardship on many in our community and we feel that the least we can do is not add to that burden.”

Llanelli Town Council will also not reduce, cut or limit any of the public services that it provides to the people of Llanelli in a year where the Town Council has invested heavily in community relief activities such as supporting local foodbanks and charities and organisations helping with Covid-19 hardship relief.

Deputy Leader of the Town Council, John Jenkins said, “We at Llanelli Town Council are determined to do all we can to support the vulnerable in our communities, continue to provide all the services that the Llanelli people have come to expect from their Town Council such as our community halls and financial assistance to local voluntary, charitable and not-for-profit groups,” said John, “But we will not do this off the backs of hard-working local taxpayers who will see their community council tax reduced slightly and through continued excellent financial management by our Town Clerk, Gary Jones.”

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