Decision details

Purpose of Report: To approve the retail relief policy for 2019 introduced by Central Government in its Autumn Statement.

The Government have produced the policy guidelines however the council must approve its own policy based upon these as a condition of the grant to allow it to make the awards.

The Council aims to give the same 28 day notice of non-key decisions, as it does for key decisions, but in exceptional circumstances this may not be possible. In this case, the item will not have been on the forward plan for 28 days due to a government deadline requiring all councils to have an approved scheme in place for April 1 and this being the final meeting of the municipal year.

Resolved: That;

a)           City of York Council’s scheme for applying the retail discount in line with central government guidance as set out at Annex A of the report be approved;

b)           Properties not listed in the government’s guidance (and at Annex A of the report) that may meet the qualifying criteria be considered on a case by case basis and awards made if deemed to meet the qualifying criteria by the Business Rates Team (Paragraph 9 of the report);

c)           Properties not listed in the Government’s guidance and at Annex A of report and are considered not to meet the Government’s qualifying criteria be considered on a case by case basis and be declined by the Business Rates Team (Paragraphs 10 &11 of the report);

d)           The Council automatically awards this discount to all the businesses we identify as meeting the qualifying criteria (Paragraph 19 of the report).

Reason:     To support local business in York protecting employment and growing the local economy.