Powys budget survey closes on 30 September as £19m savings sought

Powys residents have until Wednesday 30 September to say which council services should take priority as the authority prepares its 2027/28 budget. The council says it needs £29m extra to cover rising costs next year, alongside £19m of further savings and an increase in council tax.

What the figures mean

The £29m is the council’s estimate of additional spending pressures, including pay, inflation and demand for services. The £19m is its stated savings requirement. They describe different parts of budget planning and should not be added together as a single funding gap. The survey says £55m has already been saved over the past five years; it does not give a proposed percentage increase in council tax.

Services residents can weigh up

The consultation asks what matters most, where investment should go and how to balance spending, service delivery and council tax. Schools, social services, roads, transport and recycling are among the spending areas described. The council says providing services across a large rural county raises costs compared with large towns and cities.

How to respond

The survey is available in Welsh and English and should take about ten minutes. Complete it through the council’s Have Your Say Powys budget page. Paper and Easy Read versions can be downloaded, and printed copies are available from libraries. Completed paper forms can be returned to library staff or scanned and emailed to haveyoursay@powys.gov.uk.

This is a consultation on priorities, not a final budget or a decision to cut a named service. Responses will inform the plans councillors consider for 2027/28 and beyond.