Councils urged to widen scope of business rates relief

Government guidance on rates relief for the hospitality and leisure sector includes an indicative, but not exhaustive, list of businesses eligible for the support set out by the Treasury in recent weeks.

Addressing a business and finance seminar hosted by accountancy firm Elman Wall on Thursday (2 April), chief executive of UKinbound Joss Croft confirmed the Local Government Association (LGA), working in partnership with the Tourism Alliance, had updated its own guidance advising councils to consider a broader range of premises.

While local authorities are not obliged to follow guidance set out by the LGA, Croft said he was hopeful councils would take a positive interpretation of the guidance.

In a message to members, UKinbound confirmed that although councils weren’t compelled to widen their schemes, the association hoped the LGA advice would encourage them to do so and provide evidence for businesses to make a case for their inclusion.

Premises the LGA is asking local authorities to include under the rates relief support schemes include: travel and tour operators; tourism information centres; tourism boards and destination management organisations; and coach operators.

“We’ve been working hard with the tourism alliance on this one,” Croft told TTG on Friday (3 April). “This is excellent news, and has so far been very well received.”