With the Senedd back in full swing last week, I took immediate action to scrutinise the increasing cash carelessness of the Welsh Government.
This was an essential move because if action is not taken now our council tax invoices could increase at an alarming rate.
Earlier this month a report was published by Conwy County Borough Council highlighting the reality that the Authority is facing a budget shortfall of £12.5m in the next financial year.
To fill the void, a rate rise of over 23% would be required!
Having met with Cllr Sam Rowlands, Leader of the Council, to discuss the situation, I am assured that he is working tirelessly to put in place a recovery plan to ensure that services are provided this year, and budget options created for the next.
However, it is not just down to the Council to solve the situation.
The crux of the crisis is Welsh Government funding.
As I said in the chamber last week, Conwy has been historically hard hit by the strategy of slashing settlements. So I challenged the Ministers for Finance and Local Government on the need to reverse reductions.
Despite highlighting the important fact that some of the extra £600m which our Conservative Chancellor is sending the Welsh Government could be used, both Ministers refused to commit to any positive change. In fact, the Minister for Finance complained that Local Authorities have not allegedly pressed for changes to the funding formula!
To make matters worse, last week we saw the Labour Deputy Minister for Health and Social Services progress a bill which is set to cause even greater financial uncertainty for our councils.
This is the Children (Abolition of Defence of Reasonable Punishment) (Wales) Bill, which would stop the defence of reasonable punishment of a child, meaning that if passed, any parent using the most minor physical discipline could be criminalised.
As you can imagine, this legislation is polarising opinions, but we can all agree on one thing: it is financially irresponsible.
The Welsh Government is clueless as to the pressure the legislation will cause to the cash crisis in social services.
Welsh Labour have not actually calculated the potential cost, meaning that they were asking the Senedd to support a bill with serious unknown financial implications for struggling local authorities.
Despite it being common knowledge that social services and our councils are in the midst of a spiralling money migraine, the Liberal Democrat, and all Labour and Plaid Cymru Assembly Members present voted in favour of the Bill.
Their hypocrisy is astounding. Whilst they imply that supporting the legislation is the caring thing to do, by voting for it, they were showing complete contempt of our council’s cash challenge.
Be assured that I remain committed to championing careful spending, and challenging any decisions which could see another avoidable increase in penny pinching from our purses.
