Business owners in Neyland have hit out at rent increases imposed by Pembrokeshire County Council.

The “dissatisfaction caused by the county council property division increasing rents at Honeyborough Business Park and also backdating the increases” has been noted by local member Cllr Simon Hancock and included in a report he made to Neyland Town Council.

One angry businessman has also had to pay arrears dating to September because he had not “asked for a review” after his three years at Honeyborough Business Park.

Jim Payne, of HTB Repairs, said his rent increase is a “massive jump” of 33.5% and will be backdated to September 2017.

“We didn’t contact them to say we are due a rent review, they have come to us six months later saying we are overdue and put the rent up, and backdated it,” said Jim.

The increase will see his rent rise around £1,500 a year, from £2, 400 to £3,200, which he says the business will have to “absorb” impacting on his community sponsorship.

“My sponsorship and charity budget of £1000 a year has gone. That has a knock on effect on the Neyland Junior football team, the Neyland Junior Rugby team, the Neyland senior rugby team, The VC Gallery, who we support, the British Legion, the local carnival, all the other local charities we support with gifts/vouchers,” said Jim.

Mike Harries, who has been at the Park for 26 years with Enterprise Cycles, is also unhappy with his increase of 15.5%.

“It seems there’s a new effort in the council to maximise income.

I’m not happy about it but there’s nothing we can do. It’s take it or leave it,” he added.

A spokesman for Pembrokeshire County Council said: “Commercial rent reviews take place at whatever intervals are agreed in the individual lease contracts. The aim is to allow the periodical adjustment of commercial rents to the market level current at the date of review. Rent increases are backdated to the rent review date set out in each individual contract.

“Pembrokeshire County Council has recently undertaken a number of rent reviews for the properties it owns at Honeyborough Business Park site and agreed these by negotiation.

“Rents are calculated on a square meterage basis, with reference to market evidence. They vary according to the size of the unit. Individual leases also have different terms.”