Issue - meetings

To consider a report by the Revenues and Benefits Manager seeking permission to classify Hemingford Grey as a defined area for the purposes of the Rural Settlement List.

(Executive Councillor: Councillor J A Gray)

Cabinet agreed to classify Hemingford Grey as a defined area for the purposes of the Rural Settlement List that would enable rural rate relief to be awarded beyond 1 April 2019. Rural Settlement list approved.

The Cabinet considered a report by the Revenues and Benefits Manager (a copy of which is appended in the Minute Book) which recommended that Hemingford Grey was classified as two defined areas for the purposes the Local Government and Rating Act 1997. Data from Cambridgeshire County Council indicated that Hemingford Grey’s population now exceeded 3,000, which was the definition of a rural settlement. This meant that rural rate relief would no longer be applied to qualifying businesses.

Executive Councillors were informed that by classifying Hemingford Grey as two defined areas based on geographical features the populations of the two areas would remain under 3,000 and rural rate could continue to be awarded. Having noted how this could be achieved, it was

RESOLVED

a)  that Hemingford Grey be classified as a defined area for the purposes of the Rural Settlement List that would enable rural rate relief to be awarded beyond 1 April 2019; and

b)  that the Local Government Finance Act 1988 Rural Settlement List appended to the report now submitted be approved.

The Panel are to consider the Rural Settlement List – Business Rates report.

With the aid of a report by the Revenue and Benefits Manager (a copy of which is appended in the Minute Book) the Rural Settlement List – Business Rates was presented to the Panel.

It was explained that as the population of Hemingford Grey now exceeds 3,000 and that this means rural rate relief would no longer be applied to qualifying businesses if the parish as a whole was considered to be one settlement. If Hemingford Grey was split into two areas, the population would remain beneath 3,000 and rural rate relief could be awarded.

A question was raised as to why other larger areas could not be divided for the purpose of obtaining rural rate relief. The Panel was informed that the principle behind rural rate relief is to ensure that key amenities continue to be available in rural areas where economic conditions could put them at risk. This is why businesses applying for rural rate relief have to be located in a rural location and be of a certain size and type.

In response to a question about the splitting Hemingford Grey for the purpose of rural rate relief, Members were informed that the split would be beneficial and that the process would not need to be repeated for a while.