Issue - meetings

To agree the policy to be applied to the Discretionary Rate Relief Scheme.

RESOLVED:

(a)         That the locally administered Discretionary Rate Relief policy, as attached as Appendix B to Report Item 4 to the Cabinet, be approved and adopted; and

(b)         That the Revenues Manager and Service Manager be given delegated authority to make decisions on the above policy.

The Cabinet recalled that, on 4 October 2017 (minute 33 refers), they had been advised that the Government had issued guidance on three rate relief schemes to support businesses following the recent revaluation of rateable values.  The three rate reliefs available were for public houses; small businesses and a discretionary relief scheme.  The schemes for public houses and small businesses were relatively well defined and had been agreed in October.  Billing authorities should however decide on their own discretionary rate relief scheme.  The scheme would be funded for four years, with a progressive decrease in the funding available. 

The proposed policy for the first year of the scheme had been considered and supported by a Task and Finish Group, and was attached as Appendix B to Report Item 4 considered by the Cabinet.

The comments of the County Council, the Fire and Rescue Authority and the Police and Crime Commissioner, as precepting authorities, were set out in Appendix C to Report Item 4 to the Cabinet.  It was noted that the scheme had been designed to use all of the funding available, within the Government’s defined parameters, while avoiding any charge falling on this Council.

RESOLVED:

(a)         That the locally administered Discretionary Rate Relief policy, as attached as Appendix B to Report Item 4 to the Cabinet, be approved and adopted; and

(b)         That the Revenues Manager and the Service Manager be given delegated authority to make decisions on applications under the above policy.