Steve Brine has welcomed a consultation held by Winchester City Council on its distribution of Discretionary Rate Relief for businesses after he successfully lobbied the Chancellor at the Spring Budget earlier this year.
Following the Budget, the Government provided a consultation document for responses, and confirmed the value of the grant　for Winchester. This is £530,000 for 2017-18, £257,000 for 2018-19, £106,000 for 2019-20 and £15,000 for 2020-21.
The Government's consultation also stated that the Local Authority's conditions of award must include the ability to recalculate the relief in the event of a change in rateable value and that it must consult with major precepting authorities.
Winchester City Council then undertook a consultation with local businesses and Hampshire County Council to help determine criteria for the scheme; this consultation closed in July.
The Council's preferred option for distributing the relief was highlighted in this consultation and has attempted to comply with Government's intention as well as reflecting on the district's businesses. Their principle is that the scheme is easy to administer in order to make payment swift to assist businesses.
Following a review of the responses, Winchester City Council has identified over 600 ratepayers who are eligible for Business Rate Relief according to these criteria. They will be releasing bills shortly which will reflect reductions given to　those businesses who meet the criteria, and a letter explaining the reduction in business rates will be issued with the bill.
Steve Brine said: "Local authorities are best placed to judge the particular circumstances of local ratepayers and direct the funding where it is most needed to support local economies. I fought for this within Government, using my position as a Minister to ensure the voice of Winchester was heard."
The Winchester & Chandler's Ford MP is now liaising with Winchester Business Improvement District and local businesses about the future of the scheme, because it is time-limited as currently announced.
Pictured; Steve Brine with BID Director Catherine Turness in The Square
