The dog ate my homework... My grandmother died.... The car broke down. Honestly, the cheque must be lost in the post...

Some excuses just don’t wash.

So when officials and councillors at Ceredigion County Council try and explain away why they plan to hit residents with the largest tax hike in Wales—a staggering 13.9 per cent — they just don’t wash.

“Brexit”, they suggested.

Well, Brexit happened four years ago. If that’s indeed the case, that the UK leaving the EU was having such a detrimental effect on Ceredigion, how come we’re only hearing about it now?

Here’s why that doesn’t wash. It was four years ago. And that’s a lot of meetings, consultations, and even budgets, to raise that as a valid point. Or were councillors asleep at the switch then? Because they seem to be now

“Covid” is another excuse trotted out.

Sure, Covid hit everyone hard — but the effects lingered at Ceredigion County Council for far longer because it kept those Gold Command powers that were given to the boss of bosses in Aberaeron. But Covid hit residents hard too — the very same residents that are being slammed by this outrageous 13.9 per cent tax hike.

“Westminster” is another one.

Ceredigion isn’t alone in getting screwed by the Tories. Pretty much everyone has been. But it’s nice to know that the councillors elected in Ceredigion are happy to stick the boot in and blame Westminster.

And “Cardiff Bay” of course.

Wait a minute... why is the Plaid Cymru-controlled council in Ceredigion so quick to point the finger at the Labour Government in the Senedd?

Are the parties not bedfellows?

Or was the noise and fanfare about Plaid being a partner in government just that — noise and fanfare?

It seems to be very convenient to blame Labour when Plaid should have been pushing for more support for local authorities across Wales.

So, no, Ceredigion’s excuses don’t wash.

Not when the top staff are some of the highest paid for what they do — or don’t do.

Don’t do... like cutting their cloth to suit their measure — for years.

The majority of councillors have followed council officials like sheep.

Now they’re trying to pull the wool over our eyes. And fleece us.