The cost of three Ceredigion County Council owned children’s play activities have been reduced for three months after the UK Government announced the introduction of a temporary reduced rate of VAT.

In a Ministerial Statement made by the Chancellor on 21 May, the UK Government announced the introduction of a temporary reduced rate of VAT of five per cent for supplies of children’s meals and tickets to certain attractions, intended to reduce the cost of selected activities and services for families with children during the summer holiday period.

In a report to be put before Cabinet members on 7 July, Ceredigion County Council said after “consideration has been given to the wide range of fees and charges levied by the council” that three activities “fall within the scope of the Chancellor’s announcement.”

Antur Aber Adventure Soft Play at Plascrug; hall activities including bouncy castle and soft play sessions at Aberaeron, Cardigan, Lampeter and Plascrug; and pool inflatable sessions at Lampeter swimming pool were all earmarked as compatible with the scheme.

The report said: “The three fees are all currently set at £4.20 and would be reduced to £3.68.

“The value of VAT paid over to HMRC would be reduced from 70p to 18p, but the Council would still receive £3.50 in each case.

“This would therefore have no effect on the value of income received by the Council, but customers would benefit from the reduction.”

The fees for the three activities were reduced on 25 June, with the deduction lasting until 1 September “in order to comply with HMRC’s temporary reduced VAT arrangement.”

The report said that “due to the timescales involved” and “the need to ensure Ceredigion residents benefit from 25 June”, the “necessary changes” were “put in place at an operational level ready for 25 June.”