Issue - meetings

That the Discretionary Rates Relief policy as now submitted, be approved.

The Executive Member for Finance submitted a report seeking to update the Discretionary Rates Relief Policy.  He referred to recent changes in the way that Business Rates and Business Rates relief were determined, thus necessitating an update to the Policy. 

The Executive noted that the Government was now asking Councils to use their discretionary powers to enact new reliefs that had been recently announced, to support certain types and classes of business over a short period of time.  This included targeting flood relief to businesses which met certain criteria, and from April 2014, a number of initiatives to encourage reuse of empty retail property, support for empty new builds, and £1000 relief to occupied retail properties.

The Executive approved the Policy as now submitted.

RESOLVED - that the Discretionary Rates Relief Policy as now submitted, be approved.