Assembly Member Ann Jones hit out at the council in the wake of their decision to reduce funding for the Denbighsire Community Agency blaming the “poor settlement from the Assembly Government”.

The Vale of Clwd AM said the council had received inflation busting settlements but had wasted the money.

She said: “During this time, Denbighshire’s political leadership should have ensured frontline services like education and social services received the benefits. Rather than using these increases to fund external consultancies and trips abroad.”

“Where has the authority spent the money? It certainly wasn’t spent on education.”

Figures show in the past six years the county council has been awarded three of its highest-ever funding deals from the Assembly along with an additional £45m in Objective One funding. This to me blows away the myth of a lack funding but points instead to Denbighshire’s inability and unwillingness to provide effective and efficient services.

“Money has been wasted, projects have been abandoned and as soon as growth slows the Authority decides to pick on the poorest first.

A statement from council referred to the settlements for 2008/9 to 2010/11 when the level of Assembly support rises by only 2.3 per cent, 2 per cent and 2.2 per cent respectively.

“This level of increase is about half the increase needed as the council is heavily affected by increases in energy and fuel costs together with the rising cost of social care provided through the private sector.

The statement added that the council faced pressure from providing services for the increasing number of older people as well as an increase in Land Fill Tax from waste disposal. The cost of recycling also outstripped the level of Assembly funding.

“The shortfall in Assembly funding would result in a double figure increase in council tax annually if the council did not have a strategy to improve the cost effectiveness of services and drive down spending wherever possible. The poor level of Assembly funding increases makes it unlikely that the shortfall can be delivered without impacting upon service levels and quality.”