Issue - meetings

Purpose of Report

To provide the Executive with an opportunity to consider and comment on a new Discretionary Rate Relief Policy to take effect on 1 April 2018, prior to its consideration by the Policy Scrutiny Committee on 16 January 2018 and subsequent final decision by the Executive on 22 January 2018.

Decision

That the new Discretionary Rate Relief Policy be noted and referred for consideration by the Policy Scrutiny Committee prior to a final decision being made by the Executive at its meeting on 22 January 2018.

Alternative Options Considered and Rejected

None.

Reason for Decision

The report provided the Executive with details of a new Discretionary Rate Relief Policy for the City of Lincoln, to take effect on 1 April 2018.

The current Policy had been agreed by the Executive on 15 September 2003 and had not been reviewed since that date, meaning that it took no account of subsequent changes in legislation. It was noted that approval of a new Discretionary Rate Relief Policy did not impact on the Discretionary Rate Relief the Council was required to implement this year following the Spring 2017 budget. The award of any future funded reliefs announced by the Government had been provided for in the new Policy.

A copy of the proposed Discretionary Rate Relief Policy was appended to the report. The new Policy did not include any proposal to change the criteria used by officers when awarding discretionary relief. Consequently, organisations would not face an increase or decrease in the percentage of relief awarded should the Policy be adopted.