A DROP in the business rates collected in Ceredigion could signal a fall in the number of businesses operating in the county, a councillor has warned.

Council accounts show that the 2016/17 financial year saw £16,788,000 collected in non-domestic rates compared to £17,353,000 in 2015/16, despite the Welsh Government actually increasing the rate.

Despite the reduction in the amount of rates collected and an increase in collection costs and “bad and doubtful debts” in 2016/17 compared to the previous year, the council saw an increase in the amount it received from the national pool of business rates.

But Cllr Peter Davies has questioned if the drop in the amount of rates collected locally is part of a trend of a falling number of businesses in Ceredigion.

He said: “What might be interesting is to see if there is a trend here over the past three or four years. If there is a trend it is a serious thing for the county council to consider on another day.

“The non-domestic rates collected has gone down from £17.3m in 2015/16 to £16.78m after an increase in the rate by the Welsh Government from 48.2p to 48.6p.

“Does that suggest there has been a net loss of businesses in Ceredigion. If that is the case that is a very, very serious matter behind these figures.”

See this week’s south editions for the full story, in shops and online on Wednesday