Marketing and PR Spend at Conwy Council Totals £739,000 Over Two Years

Figures released under the Freedom of Information Act show that Conwy County Borough Council spent £739,224.27 on marketing, communications and advertising over the past two financial years.

According to the disclosure, the council spent £419,334.99 during 2023/2024 and £319,889.28 during 2024/2025.

The publication of the figures has prompted discussion about how local authorities allocate resources, particularly at a time when councils across Wales are operating under significant financial pressure.

Conwy has faced a number of budgetary challenges in recent years. Among them are ongoing concerns surrounding an HGV depot in Mochdre, where more than £3 million has reportedly been spent under a contracted lease despite the facility being deemed unsuitable for operational use due to structural limitations.

The authority has also faced scrutiny over high-cost childcare placements, with reports indicating that social care support for an individual child has reached costs of up to £1 million per year. At the same time, the council has been managing rising demand for temporary accommodation and implementing council tax increases alongside service reductions.

Responding to the figures, Janet Finch-Saunders said:

“I have consistently called for fairer funding for Conwy County Borough Council so it can deliver the high standard of local services residents deserve, from education and housing to waste collection.

“At a time of clear budget pressures and repeated council tax rises alongside reduced services, it is difficult to justify significant spending on marketing when those funds could be redirected towards frontline priorities, we have roads full of potholes and litter bins that don’t get emptied regularly, so priorities need to be looked at.

“We need greater transparency from local government and real value for taxpayers’ money. Residents deserve to see their hard-earned contributions improving essential public services, not being diverted to non-essential expenditure.”

Conwy County Borough Council has not issued a formal response alongside the release of the FOI figures.