Pembrokeshire County Council's Cabinet is recommending a 2.9 per cent increase in council tax for the coming financial year.

The increase would mean a Band D payment of £707.90p - an increase of £19.94p.

The proposed rise was approved at a meeting of the cabinet on Monday.

The leader of the council, Clr. John Davies, said the increase would ensure security of council services and maintain the jobs needed to deliver them.

"It's a difficult year to square the financial circle and we are doing our utmost to keep the rise to a minimum," he said.

"I am confident that this rise of 2.9 per cent will be less than the national average and will certainly be significantly less than inflation."

Clr. Davies said that unlike several other authorities in Wales, there would be no mass job losses.

"Headlines about high job losses will not happen in this county," he said.

"Our budget is about securing quality delivery of services at a reasonable affordable cost to provide stability of provision," he continued.

"This does not mean that there will be no reduction in staff - we have already reduced the number of people employed in the authority - but we are doing it in a managed, structured, natural way through natural wastage."

Clr. Davies added that the council faced considerable challenges from the rising cost of fuel and also from the recently announced post 16 education funding settlement by the Welsh Assembly Government, which would mean a 1.5 per cent cut worth £100,000 in funding sixth form provision in the county.

The recent Judicial Review on care home fees would also add £1.5m to the authority's budget.

A final decision will be made at full council on February 24.