Issue - meetings

With the assistance of a report by the Head of Customer Services to review the Council’s policy for assessing entitlement to discretionary rate relief.

Authorised the Head of Customer Services to award 100% discretionary rate relief to qualifying newly built non domestic properties completed from 1st October 2013 to 30th September 2016, for a maximum period of up to 18 months.

By way of a report by the Head of Customer Services (a copy of which is appended in the Minute Book) the Cabinet were acquainted with an initiative by the Government to encourage local authorities to provide rate relief on newly built and unoccupied non domestic properties for up to 18 months after they are completed, from 1^st October 2013 until 30^th September 2016.

Having received the views of the Overview and Scrutiny Panel (Economic Well-Being) and in noting that the Government would reimburse billing authorities for the cost of providing the exemption, the Cabinet

RESOLVED

that the Head of Customer Services be authorised to award 100% discretionary rate relief to qualifying newly built non domestic properties completed from 1st October 2013 to 30th September 2016, for a maximum period of up to 18 months.

To consider a report by the Head of Customer Services.

By way of a report by the Head of Customer Services (a copy of which is appended in the Minute Book) the Panel was acquainted with a Government initiative to encourage local authorities to provide rate relief on certain newly built and unoccupied non-domestic properties for up to 18 months after completion, from 1^st October 2013 until 30 September 2016. Members were informed that the Government would reimburse billing authorities for the cost of providing the exemption and that there could be a benefit to the Authority if it generated business growth in the District.

In considering the information which had been presented, reference was made to the additional administrative burden the initiative would create for the business rates team. It could not be predicted how many new business premises this was likely to bring forward. Having regard to recent changes in the rules relating to National Non-Domestic rates, it was suggested that a briefing by the Head of Customer Services on this subject would be useful. Whereupon, it was

RESOLVED

that the Cabinet be recommended to authorise the Head of Customer Services to award 100% Discretionary Rate Relief to newly built non-domestic properties completed from 1st October 2013 to 30th September 2016 that meet the full qualifying criteria for a maximum period of up to 18 months.