Issue - meetings

The report seeks approval of the discretionary scheme for revaluation support for 2019/20 and 2020/21.  The power to grant local discounts in respect of non-domestic rates are contained within section 47 of the Local Government Finance 1988 as amended by s69 of the Localism Act 2011.  To award discounts under this provision any discount scheme requires formal approval.  In addition approval is also being sought for the retail rate relief scheme announced by the government in its Autumn statement on 29 October 2018.

i)     Cabinet approved the Discretionary Discount Scheme (Revaluation Support) for 2019/20 and 2020/21 as detailed in sections 3.1 to 3.9 and in Appendix 1 of the report from the Strategic Director of Resources, pursuant to the Council’s powers under section 47 of the Local Government Finance Act 1988 as amended.

ii)    Cabinet approved the Discretionary Discount Scheme (Retail Rate Relief) for 2019/20 and 2020/21 as detailed in sections 3.10 to 3.13 and in Appendix 2 of the report from the Strategic Director of Resources pursuant to the Council’s powers under section 47 of the Local Government Finance Act 1988 as amended.

iii)   Cabinet delegated authority to the Chief Finance Officer to implement the two schemes as detailed in Appendices 1 and 2 of the report from the Strategic Director of Resources, so that the agreed discretionary discounts for business rates can be awarded in compliance with the schemes criteria.

Councillor Margaret McLennan, Deputy Leader, introduced the report on the National Non-Domestic Rates Discretionary Discount Schemes. Members’ attention was directed to Appendices 1 and 2 which set out the Revaluation Support Scheme and the Retail Rate Relief Scheme respectively for Cabinet approval. Councillor McLennan stated that these proposals related to 2019/20 and highlighted the importance of supporting Brent’s many small and medium sized enterprises.

The report detailed that the Revaluation Support scheme came into effect on 1 April 2017 when the government provided funding to local authorities to design their own scheme in order to provide assistance to those businesses most affected by the 2017 rates revaluation. Funding was available for 4 years from 2017/18 to 2020/21. The amount of funding decreased year on year, with £219,000 available for Brent in 2019/20, and £31,000 for 2020/21 meaning that the scheme needed to target those seeing the largest increases in their bills for 2019/20 and 2020/21.  The Retail Rate Relief scheme was announced in the Autumn Statement in October 2018 and was aimed at providing help to retail businesses in town centres and high streets. The scheme is aimed at occupied retail properties with a rateable value of less than £51,000 and provides relief for each of the years 2019-20 and 2020-21

Councillor Shama Tatler, Lead Member for Regeneration, Planning and Highways, spoke in support of the schemes, noting the important role they played in supporting businesses across the borough.

RESOLVED that:

i)     Cabinet approved the Discretionary Discount Scheme (Revaluation Support) for 2019/20 and 2020/21 as detailed in sections 3.1 to 3.9 and in Appendix 1 of the report from the Strategic Director of Resources, pursuant to the Council’s powers under section 47 of the Local Government Finance Act 1988 as amended.

ii)    Cabinet approved the Discretionary Discount Scheme (Retail Rate Relief) for 2019/20 and 2020/21 as detailed in sections 3.10 to 3.13 and in Appendix 2 of the report from the Strategic Director of Resources pursuant to the Council’s powers under section 47 of the Local Government Finance Act 1988 as amended.

iii)   Cabinet delegated authority to the Chief Finance Officer to implement the two schemes as detailed in Appendices 1 and 2 of the report from the Strategic Director of Resources, so that the agreed discretionary discounts for business rates can be awarded in compliance with the schemes criteria.