The policy agreed at Cabinet on 4 September 2017 retained an element of funding for potential use in 2017/18 or in the following year. The Government have indicated that there could be no carry forward and there was no change proposed in the 22 November 2017 Autumn Budget.

Based upon the presently eligible business rate-payers the spend in 2017/18 will be around 90% of the allocation with Officers keeping this under review to ensure spend is maximised in 2017/18.

Resolved – That

(1)  the discount currently received by 400 ratepayers, the qualifying criteria being their current Rateable Value is under £200,000 and their increase in rates payable from 2016/17 is in excess of 5%, receive a discount of 100% on the increase payable thus leaving their 2017/18 bill at the 2016/17 level;

(2)  the discount scheme for all other intents and purposes remains unchanged; and

(3)  any further amendments to the scheme for 2017/18 be approved by the Section 151 Officer in consultation with the Cabinet Member (Finance and Income Generation) to ensure maximum spend of the Government Grant.

The original guidance form the government was to award the discount to cases whose increase was 12.5% or more and had a rateable value under £200,000; Wirral has chosen to reduce the percentage to 5% to include more small/medium ratepayers in its scheme.