CEREDIGION County Council has been accused of declaring war on small businesses and threatening both their survival and the jobs they provide for local people.

That’s the view of holiday parks operator Thomas Scarrott, who has been told that many of his customers are going to be forced to pay swingeing new council tax rates.

If the authority’s plan goes ahead, said Mr Scarrott, Ceredigon’s tourism industry could be dealt a devastating blow which will impact on hundreds of small enterprises.

Mr Scarrott’s family business owns five major caravan parks in the county, including Clarach Bay Holiday Village, near Aberystwyth where owners of 143 holiday chalets have been told that they must all pay an additional 25 per cent council tax each year – despite not living on the park.

Mr Scarrott said they are big contributors to the local tourism economy and said the council is sending out the message to holidaymakers that they are not welcome in the county, and that it would prefer them to take their spending elsewhere.

He argues that Clarach Bay’s chalets are not second homes in which people can live, even though their owners already pay full council tax and don’t receive the full council services.

The council said the decision had been made at a meeting of the full council and following a consultation held between February and March this year.

A spokesperson said: “Though the feedback was generally mixed, a majority of people strongly agreed with the introduction of the premium and believed that the introduction of the premium would have a beneficial effect on the local economy. Due democratic process was therefore rigidly adhered to."

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