Issue - meetings

To consider changes to the Council’s existing Discretionary Rate Relief Policy.

(Report attached)

The Committee received a report setting out a new Policy to apply to Non-Domestic Rates discretionary relief awarded under the Local Government Finance Act 1988 , and subsequent amending regulations.

The new Policy was aiming to bring consistency and fairness to the system of discretionary relief but there was an acknowledgement that it would have a financial impact on a number of organisations. Those organisations’ concerned had been given 12 months notice of the change and there was transitional relief available to ameliorate any adverse financial impact. The criteria by which organisations eligibility for relief was discussed. With regard to Paragraph 15.6 of the proposed Policy it was suggested that consideration of any appeal against a decision to refuse relief or against the level of the relief should be taken in conjunction with the relevant Portfolio Holder and the Leader of the Opposition. However, the general view was that this was a matter upon which the Portfolio Holder alone should be consulted as part of their role and, therefore, this proposal was not supported.

With respect to Paragraph 7 of the proposed Policy and the criteria of State Aid Declaration, Officers confirmed that the threshold of 200,000 euros was required to be expressed in euros.

RECOMMENDED that

the Non Domestic Rates – Discretionary Rate Relief Policy and Guidance  attached as an appendix to the report submitted be adopted.

(Prior to consideration of this item Councillor Bill Hartnett, declared a disclosable pecuniary interest, in view of his position as Chair of Redditch Cooperative Homes and as a Board Member of Accord Housing group , and withdrew from the meeting. Councillor Greg Chance assumed the Chair during consideration of this item.)