Council Tax in Pembrokeshire is expected to rise by 4.6%, in proposals backed by senior councillors - which will equate to an increase of £75.99 for households.

At the February 9 meeting of Pembrokeshire County Council’s Cabinet, in a report presented by Cabinet member for finance, Cllr Alistair Cameron, members considered options for setting the 2026/27 Council budget; a Council Tax increase of 4.6%, which equates to an increase of £75.99 for the Council part of the overall Council Tax bill for the average Band D property, and 7.5%, for an increase of £123.90.

Cllr Cameron, seconded by Cllr Rhys Sinnett, recommended members back the lower 4.6% level.

Last year, Pembrokeshire’s Council Tax increased by 9.35%, lower than a Cabinet recommendation of 9.85%.

The overall Council Tax bill is made up of the County Council element, the largest part, the Dyfed-Powys Police precept, and individual town or community council elements.

Speaking at the meeting, Cllr Cameron said the Council’s funding gap had now increased by just over £1m for 2026-27, to £14.7m.

His report added the most significant cost pressure for the 2026-27 budget “continues to be within social care, with a projected total increase in pressure of £12m for 2026-27 representing 42 per cent of the total council service pressures for 2026-27”.

It added: “The funding gap of £14.7m, will need to be bridged through a combination of budget savings, increases in council tax, use of council tax premiums and use of reserves.

“The lower the Band D council tax increase, the higher the budget savings requirement will be, with the consequential adverse impact on the provision of Council services,” with each per cent increase in Council Tax generating £0.908m income for the Council.

Cllr Cameron said the proposed budget included funding for “front-line services” such as school improvement support, building maintenance, and highways maintenance support.

Where possible, discretionary fees and charges have been budgeted to increase by 3.8%, he explained.

The lower 4.6% Council Tax increase was supported by the Local Authority’s Leader Cllr Jon Harvey, who said: “Clearly we don’t want to put up Council Tax if we can clearly avoid that; the target was to keep the Council Tax rise at the lowest possible level we could do.”

He said the recent increase in the Welsh Government settlement for Welsh councils had “given a bit of leeway,” and the proposal would keep the Council from having to make drastic ‘red-level’ budget savings, along with more funding for general services.

Members at the meeting unanimously backed the 4.6% increase.

Other recommendations backed by Cabinet include determining recommended future draft Council Tax levels, as part of the medium-term financial plan of 5% for 2027-28 and 7.5% for 2028-29.

The final decision on the Council Tax increase for the forthcoming financial year will be made by full Council, the Cabinet decision taking the form of a recommendation, with the budget meeting currently listed for Friday, February 20.