Decision details

(Report of Director of Finance and Transformation)

The report referred to the Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG) business rates retention scheme pooling prospectus and indicated that for 2014/15 a pool existed within Kent comprising Kent County Council and Maidstone Borough Council.  Consideration was given to approving the necessary delegated authority to determine whether the Council, if given the opportunity to do so, should be included within a Kent business rates pool for 2015/16 and to make application to the DCLG by the closing date of 31 October 2014.

The Cabinet resolved that authority be delegated to the Director of Finance and Transformation and the Director of Central Services and Monitoring Officer, in liaison with the Leader of the Council and the Cabinet Member for Finance, Innovation and Property, to:

1)               determine whether it is appropriate to put Tonbridge and Malling Borough Council forward as a potential partner for the business rates pool in 2015/16 based on the financial data collated in liaison with other Kent local authorities;

2)               determine whether any subsequent offer (if any) to participate in the pool should be accepted;

3)               subject to (2) above, accordingly agree whether to name Tonbridge and Malling Borough Council in the application to DCLG by the deadline of 31 October 2014; and

4)              subject to (3) above, agree the final governance arrangements for the operation of the pool.