WELSH Conservative leader Andrew RT Davies has criticised the Vale of Glamorgan Council over the delivery of cost-of-living payments.

The council has apologised for delays experienced by some people in the Vale who have applied for the payments.

Responding to the council's apology, Mr Davies said: "At a time when people are experiencing significant cost of living pressures, apologies from the council do not cut the mustard. 

"When it comes time to pay their inflation-busting council tax, the Vale Council demands immediate payment. 

"Now, when they're expected to pay money through to people, they seem to not demonstrate the same level of urgency. 

"Time to stop talking and get these payments out the door." 

The payment is for £150 and people living in houses that are in the council tax bands A, B, C and D are eligible for the payment.

Also eligible are those that receive council tax reduction.

The payments come from the Welsh Government but are delivered by local authorities.

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Cllr Lis Burnett, leader of the Vale of Glamorgan Council, responded to Mr Davies' comments and said that around 64 per cent of payments have been made.

Cllr Burnett said: "The council issued more than 17,000 payments in the first roll out of cost of living support grants in May and is now inviting applications for payments from another 16,000 eligible residents.

"All eligible residents are being written to with details of how to request their payment online, or by phone or in person. 

"At a time when the increasing cost of living is having a very real impact on people's lives, the demand for these payments was always going to be high and additional capacity has been put in place in our Finance and Customer Relations teams to help with this. Payment has already been made to 21,000 of the 33,000 eligible households, with 4000 of these being made in a single day this week.  

"Our teams are working tirelessly to ensure that those who need these grants receive them as soon as possible and I have every confidence that they are doing all they can to support residents in the Vale."