A LOCAL authority has officially launched a campaign to avoid charging council taxpayers an extra 15 per cent.

Politicians across all groups on Flintshire Council have united together to support the #BackTheAsk campaign which is aimed at lobbying the Welsh Government for extra funding of £5.6 million.

The authority was one of the worst hit by the provisional local government settlement from Cardiff with an overall reduction in its allocation of one per cent.

It means it is currently facing a financial blackhole of more than £15m next year and might have to increase council tax significantly.

Senior figures have warned that frontline services are under ‘serious’ threat  unless ministers in Cardiff agree to their request.

Speaking at the launch, Cllr Aaron Shotton, leader of the Labour administration, said: “I think we’re really concerned that nearly 10 long years of austerity mean our services have nothing else to give without being lost.

“What we don’t want to see is considerable increases in council tax to make up that shortfall.

“It’s really important that some of the funding that’s been announced by the Chancellor a couple of months ago for Welsh Government, we’re able to be first in the queue for that funding.

“I know the First Minister in particular is receptive to our calls and recognises that a decade on from austerity, it’s really important in the interests of our services that we get this funding secured for Flintshire.”

It is understood an announcement on some extra funding for local authorities could be imminent following meetings between representatives from the Welsh Local Government Association and Welsh Government.

A number of cuts to services have already been earmarked in Flintshire, but if more money is not forthcoming a gap of £6.7m would still exist.

At a full council meeting Cllr Mike Peers, leader of the Independent Alliance Group, said he felt the provisional settlement was evidence of a growing divide between north and south Wales.

It comes as Cardiff Council is set to be given a 0.4 per cent funding boost.

He said: “I’ve suspected for quite some time that the Welsh Government is holding back some large funds which it could pass to councils to ease the burden.

“While we will push and we are all supportive of this campaign, it seems Cardiff and South Wales are doing okay thank you very much if you look at the provisional settlement there.

“In Cardiff they’re looking now to build a third arena at a cost of £110m.

“We’ve all signed the board today and made the commitments as well, but at the end of the day we’ve got to get the AMs to throw out this inadequate funding and to back this campaign and give adequate funding.”

Some councillors expressed concerns about the stress being placed on staff by ongoing budget cuts.

A large number of them signed a campaign wall located outside the council chamber at County Hall in Mold in order to show their support.

They also unanimously backed the latest budget proposals, as well as asking for a formal response to be made to Welsh Government.

Ministers are expected to announce the final settlement for local authorities next month.