National Non Domestic Rates were the contribution to Council’s income from non domestic properties.  Sums payable were set by nationally set rate poundages against each property value.  This system had been in place since 1990. 

Councillor Phil Davies introduced a report by the Head of Business Processes that sought approval to amend the Authority’s current discretionary rates relief policy to adopt additional criteria as set out in the government’s guidance to its Non Domestic Rates Reoccupation Relief for it to be appropriately rewarded in 2014/15 and 2015/16, the period in which it would be fully funded by central government.  The updated policy was set out in Appendix 1.

RESOLVED: That

(1)  the Authority’s Discretionary Rates Relief policy be extended to include eligibility for Retail Reoccupation Relief and will adopt the eligibility criteria as set out by the Government and award this relief in 2015/6; and

(2)  the updated policy, attached to the report at Appendix 1 be approved for use for 2014/15 and later years until amended including Retail Reoccupation Relief criteria.