COUNCIL tax in Powys is likely to increase by nearly 5% from April while the county council cuts spending by more than £10m.

Powys County Council’s cabinet will be asked to approve a recommended 4.25% increase in the council tax at its meeting at County Hall, Llandrindod Wells today (Thurs).

Among the cuts in the budget to be approved by the independent run council’s cabinet at today’s meeting is the closure of Brecon’s Tourist Information Centre.

Funding for school breakfast clubs will also be removed, saving nearly half a million pounds this year and next, while children will also have to wait until the September after they turn four to start school. The council will however consider increasing the number of hours a week three years olds can attend school to 15.

The Brecon TIC has previously been recognised as the most attended tourist office in Wales. It is the only TIC still run by the council which is also removing grants from independent run TICs. The council hopes to generate income from letting the vacant Brecon TIC in the town’s main car park.

Last week the Brecon Beacons National Park agreed a last minute plan to keep its information service, at the Mountain Centre in Libanus, open throughout the summer, but it could still close in the autumn if the authority is unable to make up a funding shortfall.

The cabinet is also being warned full consultations will have to be run on plans on replacing the day time service for the elderly with a "community befriending agent model" and reducing the ratio of staff working with people with learning disabilities.

The service will also be expected to generate a percentage of its operating costs from a social enterprise model.

Residential care placements for frail elderly people will also be reduced by 36. Pensioners will be supported to stay in their own homes through a combination of home care and "assistive technology services".

Council run car parks could be also be privatised by 2019 while a review of charges is expected to save £25,000 this year.

Highway maintenance budgets will also be reduced by £500,000 next year and winter maintenance standards reviewed while the council will also look at how it could save £300,000 by 2019 by switching off two thirds of the county’s street lights.

Leisure centres could also be closed from 2017 as the council’s private contractor will have the chance to review the sites it has run for the past year.

Voluntary organisations will see their funding slashed by £113,000 this year as the council reduces the amount available by 50%.

A grant scheme for village halls will also be withdrawn over the next two years.

The council’s youth service will also be restructured to focus on "hard to reach groups" and "young people most in need" with most of the service run by a voluntary group or community enterprise.

A trust or company could be set up to run the council’s "core" library service with smaller libraries transferred to community groups or councils. Some libraries could close.

Funding to Presteigne’s Judge’s Lodging Museum could also be removed.

The full council must approve the proposed council tax increase when it meets on Thursday, February 25 while the final council tax will be set on March 9.