Business Transformation & Finance Cabinet Member – Minutes – 16 August 2017
7 (7) NEW BUSINESS RATES RELIEF SCHEMES (ADDITIONAL SUPPORT) – The Director: Governance and Partnerships submitted a report seeking approval to allow the introduction of the new Business Rates Relief schemes to allow the council to award reliefs to qualifying properties under section 47 on the Local Government Finance Act 1988, as amended. The report also sought approval that the qualifying criteria for the new discretionary relief to be delegated to the Director: Governance and Partnership in consultation with the Business, Transformation and Finance Cabinet Member.
The government announced three new business rates relief schemes as part of the Spring Budget in March 2017. The schemes to administer and deliver the reliefs for Supporting Small Businesses and Business Rate Relief Scheme for Pubs, were definitively outlined by the Department of Communities and Local Government (DCLG) and local authorities were required to grant the relief to qualifying ratepayers.
The government established a £300m discretionary fund over four years and each council would receive an allocation of this fund. The purpose of the relief was to maximise benefit for local businesses within the boundaries of the funding available. Analysis was being undertaken by the Business Rates team to determine the specific detail of the criteria for identifying potential recipients who would be invited to submit an electronic application for relief. It was proposed that the decision on the local qualifying criteria be delegated to the Director: Governance and Partnership in consultation with Cabinet Member the Business, Transformation and Finance Cabinet Member.
Resolved – (a) That the introduction of the new Business Rates Relief schemes to allow the council to award reliefs to qualifying properties under section 47 on the Local Government Finance Act 1988, as amended, be approved, and (b) that the decision for the approval of the qualifying criteria for the new discretionary relief be delegated to the Director: Governance and Partnership in consultation with the Business, Transformation and Finance Cabinet Member.
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