N.Wales council has country's highest debt level per head

WREXHAM County Borough Council is carrying the highest amount of debt per head of population in Wales for the second year in a row.

- By ALEC DOYLE Local Democracy Reporter

But the council has denied it is at risk of a Section 114 order a measure that effectively declares a council bankrupt stating the debt is largely connected to the authority's significant social housing stock.

According to figures compiled by the BBC's Shared Data Unit, at the end of the last financial year the authority's total debt figure was £520,879,000. That equates to £3,825.80 per person in the county borough. That figure is more than double UK local authority average debt level of £1,791 per head.

While it carries the highest total debt per head, Wrexham's overall debt level is the third highest in Wales behind Cardiff and Swansea.

Flintshire County Council is also above the UK average for debt-per-head at £2,321.98 placing it seventh overall in Wales. It finished 2024/25 with an overall debt figure of £361,792,000 the sixth highest total in the country.

Looking at how debt has increased year-on-year, Wrexham saw the third highest increase in Wales, with debt levels going up by £31,231,000 between 23/24 and 24/25. Debt-per-head increased by £229.39 per-person on the previous year.