Agenda item

HC15           BUSINESSDEVELOPMENT– DISCRETIONARYRATERELIEF

TheDeputyLeaderpresenteda reportthatrecommendedtoCouncilthat theBoroughCouncilutiliseitspowersto applydiscretionarybusinessrate relief.  Thepurposeof thesenewpowerswasto give billingauthoritiesthe ability andscopeto encourage,sustainand improvelocaleconomic performanceby temporarilyloweringthebusinessrateburdenwhilelocal businessesgrew andcreatedsignificantadditionalemploymentwithinthe Borough.

Membershada detaileddebateonthisitem,includinghow theproposed policydifferedfromtheexistingRateReliefPanel.   Duringdiscussion,it wasconfirmedthatreferenceinthe presentedreportto the Overviewand ScrutinyCommitteechairmanas a substituteMemberofthebusinessrate reliefdecisionpanelshouldstate the OverviewandScrutiny(External) Committee.   Membersalso discussedamendingspecificpoints within presentedAppendix  one,howevertheseproposedamendments  fellas therewasnot sufficientsupport.

ItwasthenRECOMMENDEDthatCouncilbeRECOMMENDEDto:

a)  toofferlocalbusinessesdiscretionarybusinessratereliefwhereitis in theinterestof localCounciltaxpayerstodo so;

b)  to  ratify  a  new  discretionary  business  rate  relief  policy  as  detailed withinAppendixoneand approve the ratereliefapplicationformas showninAppendixtwoattachedto thisreport;

c)  to agreetheformationof adiscretionarybusinessratereliefdecision panel,whowillappraiseand determineapplicationson an as-needs basisas setoutinparagraph1.6 ofthisreport;

d)  to delegateauthoritytotheGroupManager,BusinessDevelopmentin consultationwiththeDeputyLeaderof WestDevonBoroughCouncilto makeminorlegalamendmentstothePolicyshowninAppendixone priorto itbeingpublishedandadoptedas appropriate;

e)  to reviewthepolicyafteroneyear;and

f)   to referdecisionsmadeby thepanel totheAuditCommittee.