Issue - meetings

To consider a report by the Council Tax and Business Rates Manager seeking approval of the Business Rates Discretionary Rate Relief Policy.

Executive Councillor: S Ferguson.

The Cabinet has:

(a)  adopted the Business Rates Discretionary Rate Relief Policy as outlined in Appendix A of the submitted report to be effective from 1 April 2025; and

(b)  delegated authority for approval of future changes to the Discretionary Rate Relief Policy, where such changes are the result of Government direction or are minor wording changes, to the Section 151 Officer, in consultation with the Executive Councillor for Resident Services and Corporate Performance.

See Members’ Interests.

A report by the Council Tax and Business Rates Manager was submitted (a copy of which is appended in the Minute Book) setting out the provisions for Billing Authorities to determine a Business Rates Discretionary Rate Relief Policy to provide support to local businesses by reducing or removing Business Rates liability for certain periods of time. Legislative changes required the existing policy to be updated.

In his introductions, the Executive Councillor for Resident Services and Corporate Performance reported that the new policy would seek to reduce the rate relief for businesses in the Retail and Hospitality sector from 70% to 40% as this was the maximum amount to be reclaimed from Government. Concerns had been expressed by Members of the Overview and Scrutiny Panel (Environment, Communities and Partnerships) over small businesses affected by the change. Cabinet Members were advised that the Economic Development Team were proactively working to identify and contact affected businesses to make them aware of the impact of these changes. Whereupon, the Cabinet

RESOLVED

(a)  to adopt the Business Rates Discretionary Rate Relief Policy as outlined in Appendix A of the report now submitted to be effective from 1 April 2025; and

(b)  to delegate authority for approval of future changes to the Discretionary Rate Relief Policy, where such changes are the result of Government direction or are minor wording changes, to the Section 151 Officer, in consultation with the Executive Councillor for Resident Services and Corporate Performance.

At 7:27pm Councillor S A Howell took back her seat at the meeting.

The Panel is invited to comment on the Business Rates Discretionary Rate Relief Policy.

Executive Cllr: S Ferguson

By means of a report by the Council Tax and Business Rate Manager, (a copy of which was appended in the Minute Book), the Business Rates – Discretionary Rate Relief Policy was presented to the Panel.

It was clarified to the Panel, that the policy ran up to 31st March 2025 and that the new policy ran from 1st April 2025, it was further clarified that this also applied to the newspaper relief.

Additionally, the Panel were advised that 40% reduction was the maximum amount able to be reclaimed from the Government and that there was not further funding for anything over this.

Following further discussion, the Panel heard that these changes would be affecting small businesses in hospitality, retail and leisure, and that the team were proactively working to identify and contact affected businesses. It was also confirmed that paperwork detailing available support would additionally be included with the 2025/26 bills and it was anticipated that businesses would be in contact with the team to move forward. More detail on the number of businesses affected would be shared with the Panel once the work to identify them had been completed.

Following the discussion, it was

RESOLVED

that Cabinet be encouraged to consider the comments from Overview and Scrutiny when making a decision upon the recommendations within the report.