FIVE Ceredigion schools could face business rate bills totalling £2,449 under a tax hike for properties with solar panels, new figures show.

Research by the Wales Green Party reveals that proposed changes to the way the UK Government taxes small renewable energy installations would mean Ceredigion schools being punished for trying to reduce bills and tackle climate change.

In Ceredigion, five schools have installed solar panels with the capacity to produce 42kW of solar power, which would leave the schools facing a total bill of £2,449 if the Valuation Office Agency goes ahead with plans to remove the exemption for small non-domestic installations.

The figures were obtained under the Freedom of Information Act by the Green Party peer, Jenny Jones, Baroness Jones of Moulsecoomb, who found that schools across the UK could face a total of £1.8m in bills if plans to change business rates go ahead at the end of March.

John Crocker, of Ceredigion Green Party, said: “Punishing schools for installing solar panels is completely ridiculous.

“These schools have taken steps to tackle climate change, cut their energy costs and teach pupils about reducing the carbon footprint — all of which will be undermined if these changes to business rates go ahead.”

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