Additional Council Help for Small Rural Businesses

As Mayor I am committed to supporting business across the Borough, and this week Finance Portfolio Holder Cllr Michael Headley announced our move to give additional financial help to small rural businesses. We are amending the Council's policy and making a financial commitment to ensure that small rural businesses who receive rural rate relief are not disqualified from receiving further small business rate relief to which they would otherwise be entitled.

This is an issue of fairness, as the national small business rate relief cap has now increased from 50% to 100%, meaning that rural businesses receiving rural rate relief, which remains capped at a level of 50%, could find themselves prevented from receiving the relief to which other businesses in the same situation will receive. I am pleased we have been able to take prompt action on this and go beyond government requirements for our support for rural businesses. The decision applies retrospectively from October 1st, the date on which the national lifting of the 50% cap on small business rate relief took effect.

Here's what Cllr Headley had to say when making the announcement: "We are now going beyond the government requirements and going the extra mile to help small rural businesses, many of which are the lifeblood of their local community.

"We understand that times are difficult for some local businesses and we are determined to help them as much as possible. I am confident these new efforts will help us to do that."