Issue - meetings

Business Rate Support and the Councils Property Planning

Meeting: 14/08/2019 - Decision Session - Executive Member for Economy and Strategic Planning (Item 9)

9 Business Rate Support and the Councils Property Planning pdf icon PDF 427 KB

This paper provides the Executive Member with information on the existing business rate support provided and available to businesses in the city.  The paper also provides information on how the council can help in developing the city’s economy through its role as a corporate landlord. 

Additional documents:

Decision:

Resolved: That;

a)   The content of the report be noted

b)   Officers work with the consultation process identified in the Executive Member Decision Session held on 22 July 2019 for business rates, and to include a review of the Council’s policy for business rate discounts.

c)   Officers prepare a report on the strategic utilisation of the Council’s property portfolio to support independent retailers, and diversification of the High Street.

Reason:     To ensure that York continues to have a buoyant, thriving and well planned business economy.

 

Minutes:

The Executive Member considered a report that informed him of the existing business rate support provided and available to businesses in the city.  The report also provided information on how the council could help in developing the city’s economy through its role as a corporate landlord. 

 

The Head of Customer and Exchequer Services outlined the types of business rate relief available to business, noting that in addition to mandatory, discretionary and time limited relief there was an enterprise zone which provided relief up to the state aid equivalent of £55,000 per annum. It was noted that a number of business were in receipt of business rate relief.

 

The Head of Commercial and Operational Asset Managment explained that there were a considerable number of businesses in the council’s property portfolio and added that the nature of the portfolio provided an access to support for local businesses in York.

 

In response to comments and questions raised by the Executive Member, the Head of Customer and Exchequer Services explained how the council took a proactive approach through business rate relief being paid out automatically (subject to businesses signing a state aid declaration form). The Head of Commercial and Operational Asset Managment was asked and explained that the acquisitions and disposals of assets were reported to the Excutive and that there had been a report and presentation to a Scrutiny Committee.

 

Resolved: That;

a)   The content of the report be noted.

b)   Officers work with the consultation process identified in the Executive Member Decision Session held on 22 July 2019 for business rates, and to include a review of the Council’s policy for business rate discounts.

c)   Officers prepare a report on the strategic utilisation of the Council’s property portfolio to support independent retailers, and diversification of the High Street.

Reason:     To ensure that York continues to have a buoyant, thriving and well planned business economy.

 


 

Feedback
Back to the top of the page