Issue - meetings
Discretionary Rate Relief in excess of £10,000
Meeting: 01/02/2024 - Cabinet (Item 230)
230 Discretionary Rate Relief in excess of £10,000 
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Purpose
To consider one new application in respect of Hardship Relief in excess of £10,000 for the 2021/2022 to 2022/2023 financial years.
Recommendations
That Cabinet resolves to:
1. Approve a Hardship relief award of £16,952.21; and
2. Instruct officers to make a suitable repayment plan to recover the remaining £16,952.22
Additional documents:
Minutes:
To purpose of the report was to consider one new application in respect of Hardship Relief in excess of £10,000 for the 2021/2022 to 2022/2023 financial years.
The Deputy Leader introduced this item and outlined the following points:
- The business applicant for relief had faced some difficulties caused by the Covid-19 Pandemic and by the UK withdrawal from the European Union.
- It was noted that at paragraph 3.10 that £167,498.25 had been repaid but an outstanding liability of £33,904.43 remained. It was proposed by officers that a hardship payment of 50% of the liability totally £16,952.21 be given to support their recovery. The remaining balance would be covered by a payment plan agreed between the applicant and the agent.
- It was outlined at paragraph 5.2 that the cost was split between the major preceptors and the UK Government and therefore the loss on the collection fund which the Council would see totalled £6780.88.
- It was noted that the business supported local jobs within the District and the business had provided confidential financial information to support the decision.
Cabinet asked if there were any other businesses that had applied for relief as these applications were rare. It was confirmed by the Business Manager - Environmental, Welfare & Revenue Service that this was the only application at present and any other similar applications that arise would need to be considered by Cabinet. It was also confirmed that the revenues team worked with businesses to secure payment, and this hardship relief was after all options had been exhausted and appropriate evidence had been provided.
Cabinet also asked if there could be a repeat application and how that would be processed. It was confirmed that whilst a new application could be submitted, this would need to be considered with appropriate evidence.
Cabinet noted the significant hardship faced by the business and that this would be an appropriate use of Hardship Relief powers to protect local jobs.
The recommendations were proposed by Councillor Evemy and seconded by Councillor Joe Harris
RESOLVED: That Cabinet
1. APPROVED a Hardship relief award of £16,952.21; and
2. AGREED to instruct officers to make a suitable repayment plan to recover the
remaining £16,952.22
Voting Record
6 For, 0 Against, 0 Abstention, 2 Absent/Did not vote
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For |
Against |
Abstention |
Absent/Did not vote |
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Claire Bloomer |
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Mike McKeown |
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Joe Harris |
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Tony Dale |
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Juliet Layton |
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Lisa Spivey |
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Mike Evemy |
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Paul Hodgkinson |
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