Rates discount plan for Acomb may miss target

Dumping on Acomb shops car park

Dumping on Acomb shops car park

The Council may decide on Tuesday to introduce a 50% discount on Business Rates for any “empty” shop brought back into use in “Acomb”. The discount would apply for up to 18 months.

The Council still continues in a state of denial about public service standards in the Front Street area.

Weeds, potholes, litter and graffiti all add to the “run down” appearance of parts of the area.

Weeds taking over several streets in Acomb

Weeds taking over several streets in Acomb

Now the economic recovery is well established  properties are already being brought back into use. There are currently only 3 premises in “Acomb” which have been empty for 12 months or more.

The proposed discount scheme is similar to that introduced by the Coalition Government last autumn which awards 50% relief after a shop, that has been empty for 12 months, is reoccupied.

The Coalition Government had previously given powers in April 2012 to Councils who wished to extend Rate discount schemes to commercial premises. Quite why it has taken the York Council over 2 years to consider using these powers in Front Street has not been explained.

The Council will now consider making the 50% discount available to premises from the moment that they become empty. Although it is intended to fill the gap in provision for the period up to 12 months (when the mandatory government scheme kicks in) there is clearly a flaw in using taxpayers money to subsidise national chains who move into  prime sites immediately leases become available.

No doubt their shareholders would be delighted to receive a profits boost of this sort while existing shops might rightly brand the subsidy as unfair competition.

A more sensible approach would be for the Council to focus its discounts on properties which have been empty for over 3 months.

Business rates are not payable on a commercial property for the first 3 months that it is empty anyway.

Empty properties with a rateable value of under £2,600 are entirely exempt from Business Rates

The terms for the discounts in what the Council labels the “Acomb Business Development District” appear to have been thrown together in some haste.

  • The area that the discount will apply within is not defined (the Council papers refer only to “Acomb”)
  • The Council scheme is restricted to retail premises. The government scheme applies to all businesses
  • It is unclear how the temporary occupation of shops (so called “pop up” units, display only exhibitions and voluntary organisation use) will affect entitlements.
  • Para 15 of the paper suggests that applications have to be linked to “the three ambitions set out above” These refer to young enterprises, listed buildings and re-locations
  • The paper also suggests that applications will only be considered once a year with a September deadline (!)

Footnote

  • Small retailers are entitled to £1000 off their Rates (Rateable value of £50,000 or less) although not all traders have, as yet, applied for this discount.
  • Rates relief is available for existing small businesses (premises with a Rateable value of less than £12,000)
  • Charities and amateur community sports clubs get at least 80% Rates relief

Lights to go out in York on 4 August 2014 to mark the outbreak of the First World War

Lights will be switched off at the historic Mansion House, the Guildhall and the council’s West Offices and Hazel Court from 10pm to 11pm on Monday 4 August as part of LIGHTS OUT which marks the centenary of the outbreak of the First World War.

Trenches

Marking the time Britain declared war on Germany at 11pm on 4 August 1914 millions of people are expected to participate in LIGHTS OUT, which invites everyone in the UK to turn off their lights from 10pm to 11pm, leaving on a single light or candle for a shared moment of reflection.

LIGHTS OUT is the headline project of 14-18 NOW, the official cultural programme for the First World War Centenary Commemorations. Iconic buildings such as the Houses of Parliament, Tower Bridge, York Minster and national organisations such as the BBC and Royal British Legion have all pledged their support.

In York, the Lantern in the Tower above All Saints Pavement will be lit at 10pm. All Saints Pavement is the Guild and Civic Church of York, the Regimental church of the Royal Dragoon Guards and is also known as the Lantern Church and it is this light from its tower which will help mark York’s remembrance.
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