Powys County Council leader seeks fairer rural funding

Jake Berriman, leader of Powys County Council, has called for a revision of the local government funding formula in Wales to better account for the unique challenges of rural service delivery. Berriman argued that the current model fails to reflect the higher costs associated with large, sparsely populated areas where services are spread thinly and infrastructure maintenance is extensive.

According to the council’s Medium-Term Financial Strategy, Powys faces a projected funding shortfall of approximately £9.7 million in 2027/28, which is expected to grow to a cumulative deficit of roughly £28.8 million by 2030/31. While the council has implemented approximately £146 million in savings over the last 14 years, officials warn that the financial gap continues to widen.

Following these concerns, the Welsh Government confirmed it has commissioned a review of the funding system. This review will examine factors including rurality, sparsity, deprivation, and demographic changes.