Revised Powys County Council budget is backed

A review which threatened the future of 10 libraries has been dropped

Powys county councillors have backed the authority's budget including a 9.5% tax hike at the second time of asking.

The plans, which included £12m cuts, had been rejected last month.

A package of changes - including the dropping of a review which threatened ten libraries - had been drawn up after cross-party talks.

The agreement means the annual council tax bill for a Band D property will go up by £113 to £1,302, excluding police and community council charges.

Powys is one of five councils facing the biggest cut - 0.3% - in Welsh Government funding, which covers just over two-thirds of the council's spending.

The Welsh Government said it had offered councils "the best settlement possible in this ninth year of austerity".

Also dropped from the original budget is a plan to charge blue badge holders for parking after cross-party talks, and school meal prices will go up by 15p rather than 20p.

• Libraries threat lifted in budget deal

• Powys councillors reject 'broken' budget

The changes to the budget rejected last month are being funded from money which was going to be added to council reserves.

Senior officers said the amended budget was still "adequately robust, but significant risk remains".