Agenda item

Report by the Strategic Director of Finance and Customer Services.

Recommendations:

That Cabinet:

1. Approve the application for Discretionary Business Rate Relief for Hope Church Rotherham.

2. Refuse the application for Target Housing Limited.

Consideration was given to the report which presented the application for the award of Discretionary Business Rate Relief for Hope Church Rotherham and Target Housing Limited in accordance with the Council’s Discretionary Business Rates Relief Policy (approved by Cabinet on 12th December 2016).

Both applications were considered against the Council's criteria and policy. Both organisations received 80% charitable relief already and were applying for a further 20% discretionary rates relief.

Hope Church Rotherham was a registered charity whose main objectives were to advance the Christian faith, relieve sickness and hardship and to promote and preserve good health by the provision of funds, goods or services including the provision of counselling and support.

The property was being used as a donation drop off point for Rotherham Foodbank, which is facilitated by Hope Church Rotherham, and is also used as a store and sorting location for pending deliveries to the client services point which is located at the Unity Centre in Rotherham.

Referrals into the service were via a broad range of agencies but included Citizens Advice, Mental Health Teams, Social Care and Voluntary Agencies. These agencies issued a foodbank voucher to clients in need of support and a typical food parcel contained a minimum of three days nutritionally balanced, non-perishable, tinned and dried foods that had been donated by the local community.

The foodbank was part of a nationwide network of foodbanks, supported by The Trussell Trust, working to combat poverty and hunger across the UK.

Target Housing Limited was a registered charity and social landlord which provided housing to the homeless or to those at risk of homelessness. Housing was available for those at risk of re-offending, victims of domestic abuse or anyone with drug related or mental health issues.

The property was used as offices to accommodate the housing support workers who supported the residents in the properties. Support staff provided individually tailored packages working in partnership with a network of voluntary, statutory and community organisations to ensure that the people they support received the care that they needed with full independence being the end goal.

Target Housing Limited has projects across South Yorkshire, Humberside, North East Lincolnshire and East Midlands. Not all vulnerable groups are supported in every area, but the organisation has around 200 staff supporting its clients towards achieving independent living.

Hope Church fully met the Council's policy and criteria, set out and previously approved by cabinet and was therefore recommended for approval. Target Housing did not meet the Council's policy and criteria and was therefore not recommended for approval on the basis that an award of discretionary rate relief would be considered to give an unfair advantage over other social housing provisions in the borough who were offering a similar service.

Resolved:

That Cabinet

1.    Approved the application for Discretionary Business Rate Relief for Hope Church Rotherham.

2.    Refused the application for Target Housing Limited.