With nearly £208 million in its bank account in 2020/21, Rhondda Cynon Taf had more useable reserves than five Welsh councils combined.

Hi, all remember me I kept saying we have no money was it true? Now look we have to keep putting up your council tax although we had around £208 million in its bank come on we have got the most useable reserves than five Welsh councils combined, now that’s not bad considering you live in one of the poorest areas in Wales. Some people say the Labour Party want to keep people poor so they will keep voting for us is this correct?

Roll on the next five years when you vote us back in and watch our reserves grow at your expense. We don’t want any opposition to question what we do we prefer to keep you the residents waiting for answers you know little things like explaining to residents that they may be living near a dangerous coal tip. Some residents had the cheek to ask why has my house been flooded out some even asked for a public inquiry; we soon put a stop to that. Anyway give us your vote on May the 5 and you never know we might cut a few more public services who knows.

Questions raised by Welsh Conservatives after cash stash unearthed

Questions have been raised by the Welsh Conservatives after it was revealed some Labour-led councils had vast sums of money stashed away when compared to other local authorities.

With nearly £208 million in its bank account in 2020/21, Rhondda Cynon Taf had more useable reserves than five Welsh councils combined.

Merthyr Tydfil, Conwy, Monmouthshire, Torfaen, and Anglesey councils had £169m in usable reserves between them, but Rhondda Cynon Taf had £208m all to itself.

The top three councils in Wales with the most amount of money squirreled away according to the 2020/21 statement of accounts were all controlled by Labour.

They were Rhondda Cynon Taf – which has historically had large amounts held in reserve- with £208 million, Swansea with £183 million and Caerphilly with £180 million.

It is vital that councils use any extra cash to help residents with the cost-of-living crisis instead of saving it for a rainy day.

Despite the Labour-controlled councils having huge sums of money in the bank, residents are yet to see where the money has been spent, the Welsh Conservatives believe.

Welsh Conservative Shadow Minister for Local Government, Sam Rowlands MS, said:

“The big question on everybody’s lips is do these Labour-run councils still have these vast sums of money squirrelled away?

“If not, where has that money gone, and if so, what will it be spent on? Those are just a few of the questions which residents deserve answers to.

“From where I am standing, it looks as though many Labour authorities have simply been sitting on a small fortune instead of pumping the cash back into communities, and at the same time hiking up residents’ council tax bills.”

Welsh Conservative Senedd leader and MS for South Wales Central, Andrew RT Davies, added:

“These vast sums of money will be eye-watering for residents to see, especially as we are facing serious cost-of-living pressures at the moment as a result of huge global demand for energy and Russia’s barbaric invasion of Ukraine.

“Many residents have been struggling to make ends meet for a while now, and to learn their local authority had enough money in the bank to ease the burden but didn’t will feel like a major kick in the teeth.

“Labour ministers in Cardiff Bay must now work with local authorities and look at using any extra cash to keep council tax low, create opportunities for local communities and support those who need help the most.”