Business rates - all change

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Announced that local Councils will now set the business rates within their own Borough, and get to keep the revenue raised. Forward progressive Policy by Tory Government, seems like a sensible Policy and its not before time.

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prand said:

Fingers crossed that this makes running a town center commercial venture more viable (local council will have the ability to reduce what people have been saying are punitively high costs), end result being encouraging smaller indies back and filling empty shops with more useful things than charity shops.

That's how I see it, Council's will need to ensure attractive business rates that will entice more business in. Those without a clue will see businesses in their patch move away. Well that's the theory. We are lucky in having a proactive Council keen to continue building good business relationships.

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prand said:

Fingers crossed that this makes running a town center commercial venture more viable (local council will have the ability to reduce what people have been saying are punitively high costs), end result being encouraging smaller indies back and filling empty shops with more useful things than charity shops.

Agreed, if Council's want thriving town centres, and small local handy village shops that provide a service to more rural areas, they know what to do. I just hope they see sense.

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AJS- said:

I guess the rationale for this is tax competition, which is a good thing. Councils can lower rates to attract businesses to move there and greedy councils are restrained by the threat of businesses moving to other areas. Good idea. In practice it won't be a quick process as moving an established business is expensive and takes time. It will take a few years to filter through, and we'll probably see the grabbing rises first.

nutshell. Locals will soon raise a racket when they see their local shops up sticks for more favourable areas. Good variety of shops attract shoppers, as we all know.

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Digga said:

powerstroke said:

TankRizzo said:

You are of course assuming that local authorities aren't stuffed full of dribbling, bickering old incompetents who are only there because they can't get another job.

yes 100%

This is the trouble. Crankedup's point that councils need to ensure rates are sensible and sustainable is correct, but missed the unfortunate fact that a lot are incompetent or ignorant and also that the effects of overtaxing can take a while to wash through the system, often long after the officials have buggered off to enjoy their index-linked dotage.

I have no horse in the retail premises race, but find it disgusting how so many small towns have taxed their high streets into dreadful, homogenised, charity-and-chain wastelands. IMHO, the death of small independent shops is solely down to two issues; rates and parking.

Agreed.
Council's will / must team up with pro' business teams, I think many do already. The business development leaders will / should champion the needs of the local business community and influence Council decision making. I agree with much of what others are saying, these matters can no longer be left to a few shiny suits sat in plush council offices. These changes have been a long time coming, better late then never.