MONMOUTHSHIRE County Council will receive £94.5 million in core funding from the Welsh Government in 2012/13 the Local Government Minister Carl Sargeant has announced.

In line with the Welsh Government's commitment to protect schools and the vulnerable during these particularly difficult times, the minister pledged that more cash will go to schools and social care over the next three years.   

Carl Sargeant said, "Despite the budget reductions imposed on Wales by the UK Government, I am increasing slightly the cash funding of local authorities in the coming years.

"To protect schools, the settlement includes an increase in funding for education of around £80 million by 2014/15.

"There is also an increase of £35 million to enable councils to meet the pressure on vital social services for the young and old during these difficult times.

"I am distributing the whole settlement pot to local authorities for the benefit of their citizens.

"This will allow councils to freeze their council tax if they so choose as long as they can sustain services and also provide the protection for schools and social care funding that I have afforded.

"As in previous years local authorities will need to think carefully in balancing the need to sustain key services for their citizens' benefit and the need to limit any additional pressure on hard-pressed households.

"It will be for each local authority to justify to their citizens their decisions."   

However, William Graham AM says the settlement of South Wales East is "disappointing."

He said, "Five of the six local authorities in the region have suffered a reduction in funding compared to an average increase of 0.2 per cent across Wales, with Monmouthshire experiencing significantly the largest fall in funding in Wales.

"The Conservative-led councils at Monmouthshire and Newport have both won plaudits for their efficient use of public money but the respective reductions of 1.6 per cent and 0.7 percent in funding will inevitably place considerable strain on services in the next financial year."

The Conservative AM for South Wales East added, "While I welcome the Minister for Local Government's decision to allow councils to freeze council taxes if they so choose, the reality is that the Minister has forced his choice upon our councils leaving them to justify his decision to their constituents.

"How can the Welsh Government claim to be protecting education and social services whilst cutting the overall level of funding?

"With this settlement the Minister is simply passing the buck with his expectation that local authorities will decide the balance between the need to sustain services for their citizens' benefit and the need to limit additional pressure on hard-pressed households."