Issue - meetings

The Director of Customer & Corporate Services to present a report which details new applications in respect of Discretionary Rate Relief (DRR) for the period 1 April 2020 to 31 March 2022, and proposes changes to the administration of the DDR scheme.

Resolved:  (i)      That the new applications for Discretionary Rate Relief set out in Annex B to the report be approved (Option 1).

Reason:     To provide a transparent process for awarding DRR.

(ii)      That the new and existing awards be granted in perpetuity and the administration of the scheme be changed as set out in paragraphs 16-19 of the report (Option 3).

Reason:     To provide a more appropriate process, in line with other forms of business rates relief and with reactive timescales, avoiding unnecessary administrative costs.

The Assistant Director of Customer & Digital Services presented a report which detailed new applications for Discretionary Rate Relief (DRR) for the period 1 April 2020 to 31 March 2022, and proposed changes to the administration of the DRR scheme to create a more efficient process and greater certainty for recipients.

Applications already approved for 1 April 2019 to 31 March 2021 were set out in Annex A to the report; applications for the new 2-year period were detailed in Annex B.  The proposed changes would see all existing and new approved awards granted in perpetuity from April 2020, removing the need for organisations to apply each year and the associated administrative costs to the council.  Approval of new applications would be delegated to the relevant portfolio holder. 

Members considered the following options:

Option 1 – approve any or all of the new applications in Annex B;

Option 2 – decline any or all of the new applications in Annex B;

Option 3 – approve any or all of the new applications in Annex B and the existing awards in Annex A in perpetuity, accepting the new scheme of administration;

Option 4 – decline the new scheme of administration. 

The Executive Member for Finance & Performance welcomed the proposed changes, and it was

Resolved:  (i)      That the new applications for Discretionary Rate Relief set out in Annex B to the report be approved (Option 1).

Reason:     To provide a transparent process for awarding DRR.

(ii)      That the new and existing awards be granted in perpetuity and the administration of the scheme be changed as set out in paragraphs 16-19 of the report (Option 3).

Reason:     To provide a more appropriate process, in line with other forms of business rates relief and with reactive timescales, avoiding unnecessary administrative costs.