WELSH Labour is to be able to pass its Budget through the Senedd after doing a deal with Plaid Cymru.

The nationalist party will abstain in the vote, meaning Labour’s 29 members in the assembly will be sufficient to get the Budget through.

The agreement between the two parties includes an extra £113 million for local authorities across the country and £180m more for the health service.

There will also be a further £120m of capital funding available to the new government to be formed after next year’s Senedd election.

On present polling, Labour is set to lose control of the Welsh government at the election for the first time since the introduction of devolution a quarter of a century ago.

Both Plaid and the hard-right Reform UK party are challenging in generations-old Labour strongholds.

Plaid Cymru has frequently done Senedd deals with Labour over the years of devolution, so the latest pact is not unexpected.

Plaid leader Rhun ap Iorwerth said that by allowing the Budget to pass in return for the increases in health and council budgets the party had saved Wales from “catastrophic” proposed cuts. 

He added that without Plaid Cymru’s intervention, the next Welsh government would inherit far weaker foundations and that his party had “acted to protect services now” and to “create a more sustainable position for a new government.”

Mr ap Iorwerth said his party was ready to lead the Welsh government after May with the “new leadership” required to turn things around.

But Laura Doel, of head teachers’ union NAHT Cymru, said: “This deal appears to be a huge let down for school leaders, teachers, pupils and families when it comes to children’s education.

“At a time when the Welsh Local Government Association has reported a predicted deficit of £137m for school budgets alone, it is clear that £113m extra for all council services will simply leave schools shortchanged yet again.

“Schools will be left to fight for scraps which won’t be enough to ward off further impossible choices between cuts to staffing and resources.

“To do that while still protecting learning is nigh on impossible and children deserve better.”