Council leaders are divided over George Osborne's flagship policy to devolve business rates – as a survey for The MJ reveals fears the move will still not deliver the necessary fiscal freedoms.

Speaking at the County Councils Network (CCN) annual conference in Guildford this week, Local Government Association (LGA) chairman, Lord Porter, dismissed claims by the District Councils Network (DCN) that they should keep 80% of retained business rates and county councils get the remaining 20% in two-tiered areas as ‘not viable'.