TORFAEN council has reclaimed £3 million from the Welsh Government in coronavirus-related costs, a report has revealed.

Councils across Wales are able to submit claims for costs they have incurred as a result of the pandemic, including homelessness, free school meals, adult social care and general support.

Torfaen County Borough Council submitted claims totalling £3.4 million in the first four months of the tax year. Of this, £3 million has been approved, while £383,000 is being considered by the Welsh Government for July.

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In April, the council reclaimed £436,000, in May it was £1 million, in June it was £1.5 million.

In addition to the claims to Welsh Government for coronavirus related costs, Torfaen council has also submitted claims for loss of income. Up to June 2020, the council has been reimbursed £586,900 for trade waste, school catering, enforcement and cultural services.

The council is expected to submit a further claim for the first quarter of £573,000 in relation to planning fees, Torfaen Training fees, registrar fees and market rents. It will also include recognition of the leisure trust’s loss of income.

The council is also experiencing budget pressures in several of its services. Torfaen council estimated that there would be 465 children requiring packages of care in 2020/21, but this has since been revised to 500 children – 7.5 per cent above the original estimate.

This has helped contribute to a budget pressure in children’s services of £1.2 million. A £576,000 overspend is also predicted in adult services for the end of the 2020/21 financial year.

The report says: “In an attempt to reduce the financial impact, social care and housing have revisited all budget lines across the entire service area to safely reduce spending, and continue to work with partner agencies to secure additional one-off funding; to date these activities total some £537,000, and have already been built in to the above forecast.”

The report will be considered by the council’s cabinet on Tuesday, September 8.