That the New Burdens Business Rate Relief Scheme set out in Appendix 1 to the submitted report be approved.

The Department of Communities and Local Government are keen for authorities to roll out their discretionary schemes as soon as practical in order to ease the burden of business rates on ratepayers.

Alternative options were set out in the submitted report but not discussed at the meeting.

This decision will come into force and may be implemented on Friday, 17 November 2017 unless the call-in process is triggered (as set out in Standing Orders in relation to Overview and Scrutiny).

In the Spring Budget on 8 March 2017 the Government announced they would make available a discretionary fund of £300m over four years from 2017-18 to support those businesses that faced the steepest increases in their business rates bills as a result of the 2017 revaluation.

The scheme will be administered by billing authorities discretionary relief powers under section 47 of the Local Government Finance Act 1988.  A discretionary policy has been designed within a Devon wide framework under the guidance of the Section 151 officers from across Devon.  Each authority has adapted the framework policy taking into consideration the amount of money that has been allocated by central government.

The Elected Mayor considered the recommendation of the Policy Development and Decision Group made on 6 November 2017 and his decision is set out above.

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