Decision details

Date of Decision:

23 May 2022

Decision Maker:

(Including Job Title)

Judith Badger

Strategic Director of Finance and Customer Services

Specific Delegation:

(If any)

Cabinet Minute No. 110 (2) (2021/22)

That the authority to make any final further payments to ensure that the Fund is fully utilised be delegated to the Strategic Director, Finance and Customer Services, in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Corporate Services, Community Safety & Finance and the Leader of the Council.

Brief Description of Decision:

Following the closure of the schemes application window, the Council has received 126 approved claims, however, this will not fully utilise the grant. As such a decision has been taken to top up approved claimants’ relief to be an award of up to 100% of their 2021/22 business rates bill, with a maximum award of £30,000.

In addition, businesses that were eligible but did not apply will be awarded up to £2,900.

Reasons for the Decision:

The Council’s allocation of Covid Additional Relief Fund is £4,851,486, to be used to provide business rates relief for the financial year 2021/22. The Councils scheme approved at Cabinet in February 2022 was as follows.

Businesses applying for the Councils scheme must have been in occupation on the 31 December 2021. The Council scheme will be open to all businesses who do not fall within the following sectors:

·       Public sector organisations

·       Banks

·       Utilities

·       Advertising Units

·       Petrol Stations

·       Sports Facilities / Grounds

In addition, applicants must meet Governments base criteria:

·       not award relief to ratepayers who for the same period of the relief either are or would have been eligible for the Extended Retail Discount (covering Retail, Hospitality and Leisure), the Nursery Discount or the Airport and Ground Operations Support Scheme (AGOSS),

·       not award relief to a hereditament for a period when it is unoccupied (other than hereditaments which have become closed temporarily due to the government’s advice on COVID-19, which should be treated as occupied for the purposes of this relief), and

·       Applicants must have been adversely affected by the pandemic and have been unable to adequately adapt to that impact.

As part of the February 2022 Cabinet report delegated authority was provided to Strategic Director – Finance and Customer Services, in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Corporate Services, Community Safety & Finance and the Leader of the Council to provide further payments to businesses to fully utilise the grant funding available.

Following the closure of the schemes application window, the Council has received 126 approved claims, however, this will not fully utilise the grant. As such a decision has been taken to top up approved claimants’ relief to be an award of up to 100% of their 2021/22 business rates bill, with a maximum award of £30,000.

In addition, businesses that were eligible but did not apply will be awarded up to £2,900.

Where an award of business rates relief is made, businesses will receive a revised bill.

The approaches above are compatible with the purpose of the Councils Additional Relief Fund (CAFR) and specifically provide support to businesses that have been impacted by the pandemic. Providing a more significant award to those businesses that came forward and applied for the Council’s support.

Details of alternative options considered and rejected:

Different values of Top ups were considered for claimants and wider businesses; however, it was felt these values presented the most sensible reward for those businesses who had applied whilst allowing some level of support to those businesses who hadn’t come forward.

Conflicts of interest declared by any Executive Member consulted by the decision maker which relates to the decision:

No conflicts of interest

Dispensations Granted:

(If any)

None

Reports or parts of reports considered

Briefing Paper – Progress update on:

Covid Additional Relief Fund (CARF)