Issue - meetings

Report of the Chief Executive seeking agreement on the local application of Discretionary Business Rates Relief in Hinckley Town Centre.

The Executive gave consideration to the local application of Discretionary Business Rates Relief on Hinckley Town Centre. It was moved by Councillor Ladkin and seconded by Councillor Hall that recommendation ii) be extended to include the Crescent. This amendment was accepted without debate. It was requested that further consultation be undertaken with charity shops. It was moved by Councillor Ladkin, seconded by Councillor Hall and

RESOLVED –

(i)            The existing designated area in Hinckley Town Centre (Castle Street) where the 20% Discretionary Business Rate Relief is not applied be continued;

(ii)           The abovementioned designated area be extended to include Upper Castle Street, Regent Street, Market Square, Station Road and the Crescent;

(iii)          Appropriate officers undertake regular formal / recorded inspections of charity shops in the town to identify if they meet and continue to meet the criteria for mandatory (80%) Business Rate Relief, using the percentage of floor space utilised as the qualifying criteria for ‘wholly or mainly’ (ie ‘more than half’);

(iv)         The arrangements for addressing any challenges from the Chamber of Trade to the inspections as to the registration with the Charity Commission be agreed as set out in paragraph 3.3c)v) in the report;

(v)          A landlord incentive period beyond three months’ exemption for empty properties be considered on a case by case basis if properties remain empty after two months;

(vi)         Further brief consultation be undertaken with charity shops trading in the proposed extended designated area before implementing the agreed changes.