Issue - meetings

(a)       The Committee recommends to Cabinet the continuation of all existing policies prior to final approval in February 2016; and

(b)       That a further report, outlining proposals for the discretionary relief for charitable, voluntary and not for profit organisation policy for 2017/18 be submitted to a future meeting of the Committee.

The Chief Officer introduced a report to consider annual policies for the financial year 2016-17 that determined discount schemes and administrative arrangements.  She invited the Revenues Manager to give an overview of the main considerations. 

                        The Revenues Manager provided background information and reported on the key considerations, as detailed in the report, around council tax on second and long term empty homes, council tax discretionary discounts, and business rates discretionary rate relief and business rates ‘top up’ discretionary rate reliefs to small businesses.

                        During discussion the Revenues Manager responded to the concerns raised by Councillor Gareth Roberts concerning the variation in business  rates between the large out-of-town shopping parks and local high street small businesses.

            Councillor Ray Hughes referred to the discretionary relief for charitable, voluntary and ‘not for profit’ organisations and asked if checks were carried out to determine how much income such organisations received.       The Revenues Manager referred to the Charity Commission and the automatic discount of 80% Mandatory Rate Relief for Registered Charities provided in law to such organisations.  It was agreed that an item to outline proposals for the discretionary relief for charitable, voluntary and not for profit organisation policy for 2017/18 be added to the Forward Work Programme.

RESOLVED:

 (a)      The Committee recommends to Cabinet the continuation of all existing policies prior to final approval in February 2016; and

(b)       That a further report, outlining proposals for the discretionary relief for charitable, voluntary and not for profit organisation policy for 2017/18 be submitted to a future meeting of the Committee.