Issue - meetings
National Non-Domestic Rates – Autumn Statement – Business Rates Relief
Meeting: 24/03/2014 - Executive (Item 11)
11 National Non-Domestic Rates – Autumn Statement – Business Rates Relief PDF 80 KB
The powers to grant local discounts are within section 47 of the Local Government Finance 1988. To award discounts under this provision it needs committee approval of any scheme. This report therefore seeks ratification of the implementation of the government’s announcements and in view of the numbers of ratepayers who will be entitled to relief seeks to authorise the Chief Finance Officer to implement these three schemes so that officers can award these discretionary reliefs which satisfy the criteria set by the Department of Communities and Local Government (DCLG) for these schemes.
Decision:
(i) that the scheme awarding up to £1,000 discount in business rates in 2014/15 and 2015/16 to occupied retail shops with a rateable value of £50,000 or less as detailed in paragraphs 3.1 to 3.5 of this report pursuant to the Council’s powers under section 47 of the Local Government Finance Act 1988 be approved;
(ii) that the scheme awarding 50% relief in business rates for 18 months to businesses who move into and occupy retail premises between 1 April 2014 and 31 March 2016 that have been empty for a year or more as detailed in paragraphs 3.10 and 3.11 of this report and which satisfy the criteria to be confirmed in guidance to be issued by the DCLG be agreed pursuant to the Council’s powers under section 47 of the Local Government Finance Act 1988;
(iii) that the scheme to exempt newly built commercial properties completed between 1 October 2013 and 30 September 2016 from empty property rates for up to 18 months as detailed in paragraphs 3.12 and 3.13 of this report and which satisfy the criteria confirmed in guidance issued by the DCLG in September 2013 be agreed pursuant to the Council’s powers under section 47 of the Local Government Finance Act 1988;
(iv) that the Chief Finance Officer be authorised to implement the schemes referred to in paragraphs 2.1, 2.2 and 2.3 of this report so that the agreed discretionary discounts and reliefs in business rates can be awarded in compliance with the criteria set out by the Department for Communities and Local Government.
Minutes:
Councillor R Moher (Lead Member, Resources) highlighted the main elements of the government’s Autumn Statement of 5 December 2013 which announced a measure of reliefs for business ratepayers. These included giving up to £1,000 relief to all occupied retail properties with a rateable value of £50,000 or less for both 2014/15 and 2015/16, and also giving 50% relief for 18 months to businesses that move into retail premises that have been empty for a year or more. The government expected authorities to use their local discount powers to award these reliefs. The government had also announced a proposal to exempt all newly built commercial property completed between 1 October 2013 and 30 September 2016 from empty property rates for the first 18 months, up to the state aids limits. The report from the Strategic Director of Regeneration and Growth advised that the council was expected to use its local discount powers for implementation. Under the provisions of section 47 of the Local Government Finance 1988 the report sought ratification of the implementation of the government’s announcements and in view of the numbers of ratepayers who will be entitled to relief, sought to authorise the Chief Finance Officer to implement these three schemes so that officers could award these discretionary reliefs which satisfy the criteria set by the Department of Communities and Local Government (DCLG) for these schemes.
RESOLVED:
(i) that the scheme awarding up to £1,000 discount in business rates in 2014/15 and 2015/16 to occupied retail shops with a rateable value of £50,000 or less as detailed in paragraphs 3.1 to 3.5 of the report from the Director of Regeneration and Growth pursuant to the council’s powers under section 47 of the Local Government Finance Act 1988 be approved;
(ii) that the scheme awarding 50% relief in business rates for 18 months to businesses who move into and occupy retail premises between 1 April 2014 and 31 March 2016 that have been empty for a year or more as detailed in paragraphs 3.10 and 3.11 of the report and which satisfied the criteria to be confirmed in guidance to be issued by the DCLG be agreed pursuant to the Council’s powers under section 47 of the Local Government Finance Act 1988;
(iii) that the scheme to exempt newly built commercial properties completed between 1 October 2013 and 30 September 2016 from empty property rates for up to 18 months as detailed in paragraphs 3.12 and 3.13 of the report and which satisfied the criteria confirmed in guidance issued by the DCLG in September 2013 be agreed pursuant to the Council’s powers under section 47 of the Local Government Finance Act 1988;
(iv) that the Chief Finance Officer be authorised to implement the schemes referred to in paragraphs (i) (ii) and (iii) above so that the agreed discretionary discounts and reliefs in business rates could be awarded in compliance with the criteria set out by the Department for Communities and Local Government.