A lot has been made about proposals in Pembrokeshire to increase the council tax precept by 16.3 per cent, but residents south of Cardigan will still pay less than those in Ceredigion.

Pembrokeshire’s eye-watering 16.3 per cent proposal would mean the average band D home in Pembrokeshire will pay £1,561.98 to the county council – which is £165 less than Ceredigion.

Residents in a band D house in Ceredigion will face a bill for £1,726.05 from April following the approval of an 11.1 per cent rise, before adding the cost of town and community councils and Dyfed-Powys Police.

Comparatively, Band D householders in Carmarthenshire will be paying £1,602.79 from April – up from £1,490.97.

When all elements are factored in, band D residents in Aberystwyth and Penparcau will have to pay the most in Ceredigion, facing a £2,209.66 bill – or £184 a month.

Elsewhere, the average band D house in Aberaeron will receive a bill for £2,116.32; New Quay £2,103.08; Cardigan £2,106.04; Tregaron £2,102.48; Llandysul £2,097.80; and Lampeter £2,100.72.

As an extreme, the highest Band I total rate in Aberystwyth would be £5,155.88, and the lowest Band A in Nantcwnlle £ 1,376.42.