Issue - meetings

This report asks the Executive Member to:

o        decide on the cases of  organisations who have submitted appeals against officers’ decision not to award them Discretionary Rate Relief (DRR) for 2007/8 and 2008/9

o        agree an amendment to the DRR criteria

RESOLVED:             (i)            That the appeals be determined as follows:

(a)   Friends of Hopgrove Playing Fields Association – the appeal be upheld and the Association be granted Discretionary Rate Relief (DRR) for 2007/08 and 2008/09;

(b)   York Gymnastics Foundation – the appeal was withdrawn as a mistake was made in the calculations and therefore were awarded DRR;

(c)   1^st Huntington Scout Group – the appeal was withdrawn as a mistake was made in the calculations and therefore were awarded DRR;

(ii)               That the revised criteria set out in paragraph 18 be agreed with the caveat that clubs are helped and supported with form filling.

REASON:                  In order to conclude the DRR process for 2007-9 and establish an amended procedure for 2009-11.

Members considered a report that asked the Executive Member to decide on the cases of particular organisations against the Officers’ decision not to award them Discretionary Rate Relief (DRR) for 2007/08 and 2008/9 and to agree an amendment to the DRR criteria.

The Officer responded to the comments made by Mr Houseman earlier in the meeting and he said that the changes in the Community Amateur Sports Club (CASC) status were brought forward by the Government specifically to benefit sports clubs. The application process is not onerous and Officers are ready to assist clubs applying. CASC status guarantees 80% mandatory relief for clubs and also benefits the Council as it increases the Government contribution to the relief paid from 75% to 85%. He stated that although most eligible clubs had now obtained CASC status there remained 11 eligible clubs who had not completed the process.

Officers reported that there had been a mistake in the application of the criterion regarding reserves to the applications of the York Gymnastics Foundation and the 1^st Huntington Scout Group. This had now been corrected and these two organisations had now been awarded Discretionary Rate Relief (DRR). Their appeals had, subsequently, been withdrawn.

Members said that they welcomed the change to the criteria but agreed that all the clubs involved should be consulted and help with paperwork should be available.

Members then considered the following options:

·              To make the change to the criteria as set out in the report

·              To retain the criteria unchanged

Advice of the Advisory Panel

That the Executive Member be advised to:

                (i)     Determine the Appeals as follows:

(a)         Friends of Hopgrove Playing Fields Association – the appeal be upheld and the Association be

         granted Discretionary Rate Relief (DRR) for 2007/08 and 2008/09;

(b)         York Gymnastics Foundation – the appeal was withdrawn as a mistake was made in the calculations

         and therefore they were awarded DRR;

(ii)         1^st Huntington Scout Group – the appeal was withdrawn as a mistake was made in the calculations

         and therefore they were awarded DRR;

(iii)       Agree the revised criteria set out in paragraph 18 of the report with the caveat that clubs are helped

         and supported with form filling.

Decision of the Executive Member

RESOLVED:             That the advice of the Advisory Panel be accepted and endorsed.

REASON:                  In order to conclude the DRR process for 2007-9 and establish an amended procedure for 2009-11.