Issue - meetings

As detailed in the recommendation.

The Revenues Manager introduced the report which sought views on whether there was a need to reform Charitable Rates Relief for some schools and hospitals to ensure that the support the Welsh Government provided through its rates relief schemes was properly targeted.  The consultation had been extended to 29^th May as a result of the national emergency measures and the significant pressures on key stakeholders.

Flintshire had 13 voluntary aided Church in Wales or Roman Catholic faith schools that qualified for 80% Charitable Rate Relief amounting to annual rate relief of £185k.  There were also three further education sites in the County that also qualified for Rate Relief amounting to annual rate relief of £556K.

In Wales there were 30 properties classified as private hospital, none were in Flintshire.

As Chair of Corporate Resources Overview and Scrutiny Committee, Councillor Carver made the following comment:

‘My view as Chair of Corporate Resources Overview and Scrutiny Committee is that I full agree with the recommendation in the report “that any proposed reform of Charitable Rate Relief for schools and hospitals should be deferred due to the economic impacts of this emergency situation as the sustainability of the whole rate scheme, in its current form, might be in need of review by Welsh Government’.

Councillor Mullin, as Cabinet Member for Corporate Management and Assets, supported the recommendation.

RESOLVED:

That any proposed reform of Charitable Rate Relief for schools and hospitals should be deferred due to the economic impacts of this emergency situation as the sustainability of the whole rates scheme, in its current form, might be in need of review by Welsh Government.