Decision details

To seek approval to offer financial assistance to businesses who suffer a large increase in their rates due to the ending of the Transitional Relief scheme.

Since the commencement of National Non–Domestic Rates on 1 April 1990, there has been a revaluation of non-domestic properties every 5 years.

To assist ratepayers who suffer a large increase in their rates bill following a revaluation, the Government provided a scheme called transitional relief which phased the impact of the increase over the duration of that Valuation List.

Legislation provides the current transitional relief scheme will run until 31 March 2015 only, but the next revaluation of non-domestic properties has been delayed until 01 April 2017.  The consequence of this is that a very small number of ratepayers will face an increase in their rate bill from 1 April 2015.

The government announced in the Autumn Statement that it wished to extend the current transitional relief scheme to continue to assist properties with a Rateable Value up to and including £50,000, until March 2017. The extension is to be delivered via the Council’s discretionary relief powers, under section 47 of the Local Government Finance Act 1988.

The Government will fully reimburse local authorities for the local share of the discretionary relief granted, using a grant under section 31 of the Local Government Act 2003.

RESOLVED that the Executive agrees:

(a)       to vary the Charitable Relief Policy to allow relief to be granted in the specific circumstances as detailed in the report; and

(b)       to delegate the award of the discretionary relief, as detailed in the report, to officers in accordance with relevant guidance issued by Government.