Issue - meetings

Having considered an officer report and a presentation by the Cabinet

Member for Resources, Councillor Kevin Bonavia, the Cabinet agreed that:

(1) the Business Rates Revaluation Support Scheme (Revaluation Support)

be approved in accordance with the Council’s powers under section 47 of the

Local Government Finance Act 1988;

(2) the scheme be agreed for this financial year only, i.e. from 1 April 2017 to

31 March 2018 and a further report be presented to the Mayor and Cabinet

in 2018 detailing the proposed schemes for 2018/19, 2019/20 and 2020/21

once the actual scheme take up and cost is known for 2017/18;

(3) the 2 schemes announced in the March 2017 budget (Support for Pubs

and Supporting Small Businesses) be approved pursuant to the Council’s

powers under section 47 of the Local Government Finance Act 1988; and

(4) the s151 Finance Officer be authorised to implement the three schemes

detailed so that the agreed discretionary discounts for business rates can be

awarded in compliance with the scheme criteria.

The Head of Law advised the Cabinet that the legal implications and equality

provisions were the same as shown in the Public Space Protection Order item

and other reports appearing on the agenda.

Officers stated there were currently unable to confirm if the administrative

grant attached to the scheme would be enough to cover costs. Officers were

able to confirm the provisions relating to betting shops were not open to

challenge, as this was a Lewisham Council scheme.

Having considered an officer report and a presentation by the Cabinet

Member for Resources, Councillor Kevin Bonavia, the Cabinet, for the

reasons set out in the report:

RESOLVED that:

(1) the Business Rates Revaluation Support Scheme (Revaluation Support)

be approved in accordance with the Council’s powers under section 47 of the

Local Government Finance Act 1988;

(2) the scheme be agreed for this financial year only, i.e. from 1 April 2017 to

31 March 2018 and a further report be presented to the Mayor and Cabinet

in 2018 detailing the proposed schemes for 2018/19, 2019/20 and 2020/21

once the actual scheme take up and cost is known for 2017/18;

(3) the 2 schemes announced in the March 2017 budget (Support for Pubs

and Supporting Small Businesses) be approved pursuant to the Council’s

powers under section 47 of the Local Government Finance Act 1988; and

(4) the s151 Finance Officer be authorised to implement the three schemes

detailed so that the agreed discretionary discounts for business rates can be

awarded in compliance with the scheme criteria.