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High Street rates relief scheme

Published: 24/04/2018

Flintshire County Council’s Cabinet will be asked to adopt the Welsh Government’s High Street Rates Relief scheme for 2018/19 which will provide additional business rate relief to Flintshire high street retailers over the next year. To maximise the amount of support which can be provided and to ensure it is targeted at areas and businesses most in need, there will be two tiers of relief available. The first tier of relief will apply to high street retailers with a rateable value of between £6,001 and £12,000 who are already receiving either small business rates relief (SBRR) or transitional rates relief. They will receive a reduction in their rates bill of £250 or, if their bill is less than £250, it will be reduced to nil. The second tier of relief will apply to eligible high street retailers with a rateable value of between £12,001 and £50,000 who were subject to an increase in rate liability from 1 April 2017 and who are not in receipt of SBRR or transitional relief. These ratepayers will receive a reduction in their rates bill of £500 or the total remaining liability if this is less than £500 . Flintshire County Council’s Leader and Cabinet Member for Finance, Councillor Aaron Shotton, said: “We are very pleased to be able to provide this support to help meet the needs of local shops, restaurants, cafes and licensed premises. The Council works in partnership with Welsh Government to offer these savings, which help boost our local economy. “Based on the scheme take-up during 2017/18, we anticipate that around 150 businesses in total will qualify for either tier 1 or tier 2 rate relief, through an estimated and fully reimbursed grant of £45k.”