DECISION

1.    To agree the proposed scheme in Appendix A to the report, which is to award a total of £4,654,709 to 2,616 local business ratepayers.  This represent 80% of the increase experienced by ratepayers as a result of the 2017 Revaluation.

2.    To commence rebilling immediately to all qualifying local businesses.

Action by:

CORPORATE DIRECTOR, RESOURCES (Z. COOKE)

(Head of Revenue Services (R. Jones)

Councillor David Edgar, Cabinet Member for Resources, introduced the report. He explained how the government had provided money to mitigate some of the impact of the rise in Business Rates. The report set out how businesses were able to make use of the relief scheme. He noted that, having considered feedback from the consultation exercise, the report proposed the exclusion of certain businesses from the scheme.

During discussion it was welcomed that the Council were making automatic awards to businesses and that these were planned to be sent out shortly after the Cabinet meeting.

The Mayor agreed the recommendations as set out in the report.

RESOLVED

1.    To agree the proposed scheme in Appendix A to the report, which was to award a total of £4,654,709 to 2,616 local business ratepayers.  This represented 80% of the increase experienced by ratepayers as a result of the 2017 Revaluation.

2.    To commence rebilling immediately to all qualifying local businesses.