Issue - meetings

Report of the Cabinet Member Finance and Assets

RESOLVED THAT:

1.    The Business Rates Retail, Hospitality and Leisure Relief Scheme and the  Extension of Transitional Relief and Supporting Small Business Relief Scheme for 2022/23 as detailed in appendix 2 be approved;

2.    The COVID-19 Additional Relief Fund (CARF) Scheme as detailed in appendix 3 be approved;

3.    The Executive Director Finance and Assets be authorised, in consultation with the Cabinet Member Finance and Assets, to determine levels of relief for the COVID-19 Additional Relief Fund (CARF) scheme;

4.    The Head of Revenues and Benefits be authorised, in consultation with the Cabinet Member Finance and Assets, to implement any changes to the reliefs detailed in appendix 2 and 3 as required by Government or to ensure the successful operation of the schemes;

5.    Decisions relating to the application of these reliefs be delegated to the Head of Revenues and Benefits and officers in the Business Rates team due to the volume of cases. In the case of a dispute, reconsideration is to be made by the Executive Director Finance and Assets;

6.    The Executive Director Finance and Assets be authorised, in consultation with the Cabinet Member Finance and Assets, to determine a Discretionary Council Tax Energy Rebate Scheme.

The Cabinet Member Finance and Assets presented the report, which related to four business rate reliefs and a discretionary energy rebate payment. The first three business rate reliefs were temporary schemes related to retail, hospitality and leisure properties, and sought to support small businesses. The fourth related to the Covid-19 Additional Relief Fund, supporting businesses which had been ineligible for the previous round of funding. The council had received funding of £2.583m for this scheme, which needed to be targeted at the businesses most impacted.

He added that the council also had been allocated £162,450 as part of the Discretionary Energy Rebate scheme. This equated to just over 1,000 payments of £150 to residents who were energy bill payers but not eligible for the main government scheme. Funding was limited, so the priority was to support vulnerable residents and those on low incomes or means-tested benefits.

The Leader added that this was welcome news for the retail and hospitality sector, which had suffered significantly during the Covid crisis.

The Leader moved to the vote, where it was unanimously:

RESOLVED THAT:

1.    The Business Rates Retail, Hospitality and Leisure Relief Scheme and the  Extension of Transitional Relief and Supporting Small Business Relief Scheme for 2022/23 as detailed in appendix 2 be approved;

2.    The COVID-19 Additional Relief Fund (CARF) Scheme as detailed in appendix 3 be approved;

3.    The Executive Director Finance and Assets be authorised, in consultation with the Cabinet Member Finance and Assets, to determine levels of relief for the COVID-19 Additional Relief Fund (CARF) scheme;

4.    The Head of Revenues and Benefits be authorised, in consultation with the Cabinet Member Finance and Assets, to implement any changes to the reliefs detailed in appendix 2 and 3 as required by Government or to ensure the successful operation of the schemes;

5.    Decisions relating to the application of these reliefs be delegated to the Head of Revenues and Benefits and officers in the Business Rates team due to the volume of cases. In the case of a dispute, reconsideration is to be made by the Executive Director Finance and Assets;

6.    The Executive Director Finance and Assets be authorised, in consultation with the Cabinet Member Finance and Assets, to determine a Discretionary Council Tax Energy Rebate Scheme.