Issue - meetings

The report is at item 6 of the agenda for the Cabinet’s meeting on Tuesday 7 November 2017 with its appendix.

The Cabinet made the following recommendation to the Council at this meeting:

That the Non-Domestic Rate Discretionary Scheme for 2017-2021 as set out in the appendix to the agenda report be approved.

The Council considered the recommendation made to it by the Cabinet at its meeting on Tuesday 7 November 2017 as set out on the face of the Council agenda, the details in respect of which were contained in the Cabinet report and its appendix on pages 13 to 20 of the Cabinet papers for that meeting.  

Mrs Lintill (Cabinet Member for Community Services) formally moved the recommendation of the Cabinet and this was seconded by Mr Dignum (Leader of the Cabinet).

Mrs Lintill summarised section 3 of the report, which set out the background details of the national discretionary fund of £300m over four years which had been established by the government in March 2017 to provide assistance to businesses facing non domestic rates (NDR) increases as a result of the 2017 revaluation. CDC’s total allocation for the four years 2017-2018 to 2020-2021 was £786,000. The details of how the scheme would operate to benefit eligible businesses over the four-year period and the conditions for remaining entitled were set out in section 3 of the report. Any surplus from 2017-2018 would have to be returned to the government. This local scheme would complement the national scheme by reducing further the increased limits set by the government. The consultation details were set out in section 8 of the report. Immense gratitude was due to Mr Jobson for his hard work in devising this scheme.

The following decision was made by the Council.

Decision

The Council voted with respect to the recommendation made to it by the Cabinet and on a show of hands it was in favour of making the resolution set out below, with no votes against and one abstention.

RESOLVED

That the Non-Domestic Rates Discretionary Scheme for 2017-2021 as set out in the appendix to the Cabinet agenda report be approved.

The Cabinet is requested to consider the agenda report and its appendix and to make the following recommendation to the Council:

That the Non-Domestic Rate Discretionary Scheme for 2017 – 2021 as set out in the appendix to the agenda report be approved.    

RECOMMENDED TO THE COUNCIL

That the Non-Domestic Rate Discretionary Scheme for 2017-2021 as set out in the appendix to the agenda report be approved.

The Cabinet received and considered the agenda report with its appendix.

The report was presented by Mrs Lintill.

Mr Jobson was in attendance for this item.

Mrs Lintill summarised section 3 of the report, which set out the background details of the national discretionary fund of £300m over four years which had been established by the government in March 2017 to provide assistance to businesses facing non domestic rates (NDR) increases as a result of the 2017 revaluation. CDC’s total allocation for the four years 2017-2018 to 2020-2021 was £786,000. The details of how the scheme would operate to benefit eligible businesses over the four-year period and the conditions for remaining entitled were set out in section 3. Any surplus from 2017-2018 would have to be returned to the government. This local scheme would complement the national scheme by reducing further the increase limits set by the government. The consultation details were set out in section 8 of the report. Immense gratitude was due to Mr Jobson for his hard work in the challenge he faced in devising this scheme.

Mr Jobson commented on the complexity of the scheme he had to create and how Chichester District had been particularly affected by the increases in business rates. Over 1,200 customers would be assisted by the scheme. 

Mr Dignum remarked that the scheme would help to sustain and promote the growth of CDC’s local businesses.

Decision

The Cabinet voted unanimously on a show of hands in favour of making the recommendation set out below.

RECOMMENDED TO THE COUNCIL

That the Non-Domestic Rate Discretionary Scheme for 2017-2021 as set out in the appendix to the agenda report be approved.