Issue - meetings

To submit the report of the Head of Function (Resources)/Section 151 Officer.

It was resolved –

·        To adopt the current Discretionary Business Rates Relief Policy – Charities and Non-Profit Making Organisations as detailed in Appendix A for the financial year 2016/17 only, and to instruct the Head of Function (Resources) and Section 151 Officer to ensure that administrative procedures before 31 March, 2016 advise relevant charities and non-profit making organisations that the policy will apply for 2016/17 only and will cease on 31 March, 2017.

·        That the current budget of £50k be increased by £7k to £57k to meet the costs of the proposed scheme during 2016/17.

·        That during 2016/17 the Head of Function (Resources) and Section 151 Officer undertakes a public consultation on the policy, based on the issues raised by the November 2015 review and also investigates whether alternative business rates relief can be provided at less cost to the Authority, for charities and non-profit making organisations.

The report of the Head of Resources and Section 151 Officer seeking approval for the adoption of the current Discretionary Business Rates Relief Policy – Charities and Non-Profit Naming Organisations for 2016/17 was presented for the Executive’s consideration.

The Portfolio Member for Finance reported that the report confirms that the current relief policy has been a success, in that virtually no applications have been made that are not covered by the policy leading to a significant reduction in applications being considered individually. The only change proposed is the addition of £7k to the £50k budget to cover the cost of the proposed scheme in 2016/17.

It was resolved –

•           To adopt the current Discretionary Business Rates Relief Policy – Charities and Non-Profit Making Organisations as detailed in Appendix A for the financial year 2016/17 only, and to instruct the Head of Function (Resources) and Section 151 Officer to ensure that administrative procedures before 31 March, 2016 advise relevant charities and non-profit making organisations that the policy will apply for 2016/17 only and will cease on 31 March, 2017.

•           That the current budget of £50k be increased by £7k to £57k to meet the costs of the proposed scheme during 2016/17.

•           That during 2016/17 the Head of Function (Resources) and Section 151 Officer undertakes a public consultation on the policy, based on the issues raised by the November, 2015 review and also investigates whether alternative business rates relief can be provided at less cost to the Authority, for charities and non-profit making organisations.