Sir, I run a small business in Tintern and in recent years business has declined due to road closures and the new bridge taking people away from the area. My business rate of around £4,000 has now suddenly jumped to £11,700, which I am fighting. Apparently the rates increase in Monmouthshire is the largest in the United Kingdom. The net result of this proposed jump is that I now have to close the retail side of my business as I have been subsidising it for some years, in fact since the road closed for four months and we then had BSE, closing rural locations. I have spoken to several business friends, all of whom are finding the increased rates difficult to cover in their businesses. Monmouth County Council has now to address the growing cost of its empire and realise that things have changed and we, the rate payer, can no longer afford to pay out for people sitting in the Council HQ saying no due to the lack of funds after their monthly salary and paying out their pensions (roughly a third of our community charge). It's a fact that MCC is having a serious financial challenge and should look internally for solutions. There is something the business community can do about this and I would suggest that we need to get together as united we will get somewhere. It seems all too often that Monmouth County Council forgets who they represent and certainly with the business rates, hides behind the assessment agency pretending they don't have anything to do with rate increases. The reason why towns and villages are turning into the same wherever you go is due to the fact that the only businesses that can afford to be there are the multi national big boys and girls. I would wish sincerely that businesses can get together over this and preserve our unique and individual businesses. Andrew Francis (Tintern) .
