Issue - meetings

Report of Chief Finance Officer

Purpose of report

To seek approval of the Discretionary Rate Relief Policy effective from 1 April 2017 and agree for the final determination of the policy guidelines to be delegated to the Chief Finance Officer, in consultation with the Lead Member for Financial Management, due to pending legislative changes in respect of Rural Rate Relief announced in the Autumn Statement 2016 and confirmed by the Local Government Finance Bill.

Recommendations

The meeting is recommended:

 1.1        To note the contents of the report and the recommendation of the Budget Planning Committee at its meeting on 17 January 2017 to approve the Discretionary Rate Relief Policy.

1.2      To consider any amendments to the proposed draft Discretionary Rate Relief Policy and to approve the Policy for adoption subject to 1.3 below.

1.3      To agree that the final content of the policy guidelines will be subject to confirmation by the Chief Finance Officer in consultation with the Lead Member for Financial Management.

Resolved

(1)          That the report and the recommendation of the Budget Planning Committee at its meeting on 17 January 2017 to approve the Discretionary Rate Relief Policy be noted.

(2)          That the proposed draft Discretionary Rate Relief Policy (annex to the Minutes as set out in the Minute Book) be approved for adoption subject to resolution (3) below.

(3)          That it be agreed that the final content of the policy guidelines will be subject to confirmation by the Chief Finance Officer in consultation with the Lead Member for Financial Management.

The Chief Finance Officer submitted a report to seek approval of the Discretionary Rate Relief Policy effective from 1 April 2017 and agree for the final determination of the policy guidelines to be delegated to the Chief Finance Officer, in consultation with the Lead Member for Financial Management, due to pending legislative changes in respect of Rural Rate Relief announced in the Autumn Statement 2016 and confirmed by the Local Government Finance Bill.

Resolved

(1)          That the report and the recommendation of the Budget Planning Committee at its meeting on 17 January 2017 to approve the Discretionary Rate Relief Policy be noted.

(2)          That the proposed draft Discretionary Rate Relief Policy (annex to the Minutes as set out in the Minute Book) be approved for adoption subject to resolution (3) below.

(3)          That it be agreed that the final content of the policy guidelines will be subject to confirmation by the Chief Finance Officer in consultation with the Lead Member for Financial Management.

Reasons

The Discretionary Rate Relief Policy is required to be amended to reflect the changing priorities of the Council and assess the impact of the Localism Act 2011 which introduced the power to implement a local discount scheme together with the fundamental changes to business rates that came into effect from 1 April 2013.

Alternative options

Option 1: Members could choose not to agree the proposed policy, but it would mean that we wouldn’t be able to continue to support local businesses, charities and voluntary organisations and would also reduce our financial flexibility in the future.