Issue - meetings

The Financial Support Manager presented the Discretionary Non-Domestic Rates Revaluation Support Scheme and noted that the revaluation was the first to take place since 2010 resulting in businesses at a national level facing a large increase in their rates liability.  The revaluation was conditional on local authorities undertaking consultation with their major precepting authorities.  When this had taken place in Redditch no responses had been received. The relief was available to the rate payers that were directly affected by the revaluation. 

There were a few risks to the scheme, particularly as there was a fixed amount available to provide as discretionary relief.  To help address this the Council encouraged businesses in receipt of this funding to make a state aid declaration.

During consideration of this item Members noted the relevant extract from the minutes of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee meeting held on 26^th October, when the scheme had been subject to pre-scrutiny.  The Committee had endorsed the proposals from officers, subject to amending the second recommendation to suggest that the Executive Director of Finance and Corporate Resources should be delegated with authority to adjust the percentage relief awarded in 2018/19 after consultation with the leader of the opposition as well as the Portfolio Holder for Corporate Management.  The Executive Committee rejected this proposed amendment to the recommendation.

RECOMMENDED that

1)    the criteria for allocation of Discretionary Revaluation Support as appended to this report in Appendix 1 are adopted; and

2)    the Executive Director of Finance and Corporate Resources is provided with delegated authority, after consultation with the relevant Portfolio Holder, to adjust the percentage relief awarded in years 2018/19 and onwards in order to ensure that the maximum level of support is provided to businesses and that the Government funding meets the overall costs of the relief.