Mr
Green updated the Committee on the progress with the enhanced
Business Rates Retention Pilot for 2019/20. Mr Green explained that
the Government was offering a Business Rates retention pilot for
2019/20, but would the terms would be 75% retention of growth in
Business Rates and not 100% as was the case with the 2018/19 pilot.
The reason given by the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local
Government for this was that a 100% retention scheme would require
primary legislation and there was not enough time in the
parliamentary calendar to legislate for this change. However it was
possible to move forward with 75% retention without requiring a
change in the law.
In
order to maximise the chance of success for the bid, some
adjustments of the bid for 2019/20 were required. One of the key
adjustments required was to ensure that top tier authorities
received a greater proportion of funding to recognise the pressure
their Child and Adult Social Care budgets were under.
Delegated authority to the Director of Finance and Business
Improvement was required for the decision as the bid was a joint
bid and would only be finalised at a meeting of Kent Council
Leaders immediately prior to submission of the bid.
RESOLVED:
That
delegated authority is grated to the Director of Finance and
Business Improvement, in consultation with the Chairman of the
Policy and Resources Committee, to sign off a joint Kent proposal
for a 75% Business Rates Pilot, together with the associated
governance arrangements, on behalf of Maidstone Borough
Council.
Voting: Unanimous