Issue - meetings

This report outlines a proposed scheme of how to distribute the government funding which was allocated to Epsom & Ewell Borough Council by the government in the March 2017 Spring budget. The fund is intended to support local businesses following the 2017 revaluation, to be known as the ‘local discretionary relief scheme’.

The Committee:

(1)          Adopted the scheme set out in sections 3 to 7 (inclusive) of the report as part of Epsom and Ewell Borough Council’s Discretionary Rate Relief Policy with effect from 1 April 2017;

(2)          Agreed that the scheme referred to in recommendation 1 should have effect until the 31 March 2021 when government funding of the scheme ceases, at which point no further relief will be given under the scheme.

A report was presented to the Committee that outlined a proposed scheme of how to distribute the government funding which would be allocated to this Council in the March 2017 Spring budget.  The fund, intended to support local businesses following the 2017 revaluation, would be known as the “Local Discretionary Rate Relief Scheme”.

The report set out how it was proposed the scheme would operate, how much relief would be available, the application process and the appeals process.

It was confirmed that charities would continue to receive relief under a separate statutory scheme. Initial calculations suggested that 253 properties would qualify for relief.  In each year the majority of qualifying properties would receive under £500. This equated to 151 properties in the first year.

Whilst there was no statutory right of appeal against a decision regarding discretionary rate relief, it was considered that rate payers ought to be entitled to have a discretionary decision reviewed if dissatisfied with the outcome. Therefore, an appeal procedure was proposed.  Appeals would have to be lodged within four weeks of notification of the decision but a common sense approach would be adopted in individual circumstances.

Accordingly, the Committee:

(1)          Adopted the scheme set out in sections 3 to 7 (inclusive) of the report as part of Epsom and Ewell Borough Council’s Discretionary Rate Relief Policy with effect from 1 April 2017;

(2)          Agreed that the scheme referred to in recommendation 1 should have effect until the 31 March 2021 when government funding of the scheme ceases, at which point no further relief will be given under the scheme.