Issue - meetings

The Council has the discretion to award rate relief to charities or non-profit making bodies. It also has the discretion to remit an individual National Non-Domestic Rate (NNDR) liability in whole or in part on the grounds of hardship.  The award of relief is based on policy and criteria last agreed by Cabinet on 16 September 2013, this taking effect from 1 April 2014.  It was agreed at the meeting to review the scheme every 3 years, it is therefore necessary to undertake a review.

RESOLVED:-

      i.        Cabinet agreed that there be no change to the existing policy and criteria for determining entitlement to discretionary rate relief in respect of National Non-Domestic Rates (policy detailed in Appendix 1). The policy will be reviewed in September 2019 or when Business Rates Retention is introduced whichever is the earlier.

    ii.        Cabinet agreed that the application for discretionary rate relief detailed in Appendix 2 of the report be approved

Councillor Margaret McLennan, Deputy Leader of the Council, stated that the Council has the discretion to award rate relief to charities or non-profit making bodies.

The award of relief is based on policy and criteria last agreed by Cabinet on 16 September 2013, this taking effect from 1 April 2014.  It was agreed at the meeting to review the scheme every 3 years, it is therefore necessary to undertake a review.

Councillor McLennan stated that Business Rates retention is presently planned to be introduced in 2020/21. This will result in the council retaining, based on current shares, 80% of rates income (the GLA will have the remaining 20% share), however this has still to be confirmed.

She stated that the report also details new applications for relief received since the Cabinet last considered such applications on 20 January 2016.

RESOLVED:-

      i.        Cabinet agreed that there be no change to the existing policy and criteria for determining entitlement to discretionary rate relief in respect of National Non-Domestic Rates (policy detailed in Appendix 1). The policy will be reviewed in September 2019 or when Business Rates Retention is introduced whichever is the earlier.

    ii.        Cabinet agreed that the application for discretionary rate relief detailed in Appendix 2 of the report be approved