Pembrokeshire's Conservative AMs are warning of tough times ahead as the county council deals with one of the lowest budget increases in Wales.

Pembrokeshire County Council has been awarded a 1.4% yearly increase in its budget by the Welsh Assembly Government‐ compared to a Welsh average of 2%.

Angela Burns and Paul Davies now fear that local authority jobs or front line services may have to be cut to meet any shortfall– or council tax bills raised.

"I am disappointed by Pembrokeshire's low increase," said South Pembrokeshire AM Mrs Burns. "It is hard to see how the council will be able to continue to provide services at the current level with such a poor settlement

"We are all facing tough times but the council provides vital services in education, social care and housing, to name just a few areas, and I fear that a service which is already operating under tight constraints will have to be squeezed still further."

Preseli Pembrokeshire AM Paul Davies highlighted the fact that many of the more urban south Wales councils have fared much better than rural Pembrokeshire in the settlement.

"Cardiff, Newport and Bridgend councils have all got settlements of around 3% ‐ double what Pembrokeshire is getting," he said.

"I fear that rural counties like Pembrokeshire who have got poor settlements will soon be faced with difficult decisions – do they raise council tax, lay off workers or cut services to make ends meet?

"It's a tough time for everybody and council tax increases would see many people pushed to their limits, however nobody wants to see frontline services suffer either.

"The council is being forced to bear the brunt of the Assembly Government spending squeeze."