Business rates
Spending Review poses 'challenge' for fair funding
A minister has said a one-year settlement for local government would pose a ‘challenge’ for implementing the fair funding review in 2020/21.
Business rates revaluation brought forward
The Government is to press ahead with bringing forward the next business rates revaluation, it has announced today.
Taking the lead on town centres
The local government finance system has become much more reliant on economic growth, says Simone Hines. It needs to weigh up the risks of doing this at every step of the way.
Business rates system 'past its sell-by date'
The business rates system is out of date, out of touch, unfit for purpose and ‘past its sell-by-date,’ local government leaders told MPs at a Treasury Committee hearing today.
Medway habits must change, officers warn
Medway Council’s ‘reliance on windfalls’ is unsustainable after increased income from local taxation allowed it to balance its 2018/19 budget, senior councillors will be warned.
Labour report calls for radical tax and planning reforms
Replacing council tax and business rates are among the radical policies proposed in a report commissioned by the Labour Party.
Dawes orders review of review after ministry makes same error again
The Government may have to pay out up to £15m to councils after it made yet another error in its business rate pilot administration.
Legal row could drag on for two years
A row between councils and supermarkets over business rates charged on cash machines could be tied up in costly litigation for up to two years, an expert has warned.
Scottish councils need more power - think-tank
Scottish local government needs a ‘renewal,’ a think tank has urged, with directly elected mayors and complete control over council tax and business rates.
£3m hit for sector threat after British Steel blow
Local government finances could receive a £2.8m business rates hit after British Steel was forced into liquidation following various trading challenges.
Ministers need to be mindful of the poll tax debacle
That an 'apparently esoteric' local government finance issue could bring down a powerful Prime Minister such as Margaret Thatcher should be taken seriously by today's government, says Michael Burton.
Experts call for revenue-boosting internet tax
Green credits and an internet transaction tax could provide valuable new revenue streams for local government, MPs have been told.
Business rates relief control call
District councils have called for full control over the business rates relief that is awarded in their area amid claims that it is ‘unnecessarily generous’.
Fresh call for business rates avoidance action
The Local Government Association (LGA) has made a fresh call for ministers to tackle business rates avoidance – more than two years after commitments were first made.
From jurassic to digital – the evolution of services
As the new Dorset unitaries get underway, the sea-change in structure is matched by the new wave of digital technology. Against this backdrop, a group of top council chiefs met at a BT/The MJ round table to look to the future.
Press pause on fair funding review
Crippled by austerity and uncertainty, councils are financially paralysed and facing failure. Heather Jameson says it's time to press pause on the fair funding review until central government decides on the amount of cash for local government.
Whiteman calls for fair funding review delay
The fair funding review should be delayed until after the Spending Review, finance expert Rob Whiteman has suggested.
Debenhams’ CVA to cost councils £8.5m in rates
Local authorities are expected to lose millions of pounds worth of business rates due to Debenhams' financial difficulties, experts have said.
Business rates 'tweaks' not enough - CBI
Industry leaders have called on politicians to look at overhauling the system of business rates.
Cut business rates, claims Treasury's Truss
Business rates should be cut to support the private sector, chief secretary to the Treasury, Liz Truss, told a Smith Square debate last night.