Agenda item

Report from the Executive Director of Corproate Services.

Recommendation:

That Cabinet approve the application for Discretionary Business Rates Relief for Lifeskills (Yorkshire) Ltd in accordance with the details set out in Section 6 to this report for the 2025/26 and 2026/27 financial years.

Consideration was given to the report which presented the application for the award of Discretionary Business Rates Relief for Lifeskills (Yorkshire) Ltd.

Lifeskills (Yorkshire) Ltd. was a not-for-profit organisation which was registered with Companies House as a private company limited by guarantee without share capital. The organisation aimed to equip adults with learning difficulties and/or autism to gain education, employment skills and other skills to develop their independence and social confidence.  The service users were funded, in the main, via a direct payment award from RMBC Learning Disability and Autism Team. The organisation provided training on functional Maths and English, internet safety, keeping well in hot/cold weather, employment skills and money handling/budgeting to attendees. Attendance was on either one or 2 days each week with the majority attending twice weekly.

The building was open on weekends to the general public as a family activity centre run by an associated company. This partnership with the associated company formed part of Lifeskills (Yorkshire) Ltd.’s offer to RMBC Learning Disability and Autism Team by guaranteeing the availability of work experience and volunteering opportunities and facilitating the development of employment skills in accordance with the care plans in place.

Lifeskills (Yorkshire) Ltd. was seeking an award for discretionary rate relief to assist them in continuing to provide this service. The company was incorporated in August 2024 and had therefore not yet filed any accounts with Companies House to date. Accounts were available in draft form for the first year of trading and had been provided in support of this application.

It was recommended that the application be approved, with a cost to RMBC of £10,147.17 for 2025/2026 and £8,595.58 for 2026/2027.

Resolved:

That Cabinet approve the application for Discretionary Business Rates Relief for Lifeskills (Yorkshire) Ltd in accordance with the details set out in Section 6 to this report for the 2025/2026 and 2026/2027 financial years.