The Finance & Investment Portfolio Holder presented the report and introduced the Business Rates Manager who set out the proposals for awarding discretionary rate relief for 2020/21 to ratepayers covered by applications made in 2019/20, and provided an update on the local discretionary rate relief scheme which would be in its final year of operation in 2020/21 and on the retail discount scheme in operation for 2019/20 and 2020/21.  The Finance & Investment Advisory Committee had considered the same report.

Public Sector Equality Duty

Members noted that consideration had been given to impacts under the Public Sector Equality Duty.

Resolved:  That

a)     the proposals for granting relief from business rates for 2020/21 set out in Appendix B to the report, be approved;

b)     the estimated level of local discretionary rate relief to be awarded in 2020/21 as set out in paragraph (26) of eh report, be noted; and

c)     the level of retail discount granted for 2019/20 as set out in paragraph (29) of the report and the approach for implementing the retail discount for 2020/21, be noted.