The subject of the decision:

This report sought consideration of a new Discretionary Rate Relief – Retail Discount in relation to the Government’s announcement in the budget in October 2018, to provide those businesses with a rateable value of less that £51,000 further retail discount equivalent to one third of their bill; notice of the Government’s decision to extend for one year for 2019/20 the £1,500 business rates discount for office space occupied by local newspapers; a new Discretionary Rate Relief for new rural mobile infrastructure which would not generally be supported by the industry, for the North Yorkshire area and an updated consolidated Discretionary Non Domestic Rate Relief Policy to incorporate the new Retail Discount and extension for local newspapers.

Alternative options considered:

None.

The reason for the decision:

To take account of the requirements of Section 47 of the Local Government Finance Act 1988 and subsequent legislation.

THE DECISION:

That Cabinet approves and recommends to Council that:-

(1)     the Retail Discount for 2019/20 and 2020/21 in accordance with the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government guidance as at Annex A of the report be adopted;

(2)     the proposal for discretionary rate relief in respect of mobile infrastructure be adopted;

(3)     the updated consolidated Discretionary Non Domestic Rates Relief Policy attached at Annex B of the report be adopted; and

(4)     the current delegated powers to award and review discretionary rate relief be extended to the new retail discount.