METROPOLITAN BOROUGH COUNCIL

This matter is not a Key Decision within the Council’s definition and has been included in the relevant Forward Plan

Report of the Director of Finance, Assets & Information Services.

Non-Domestic Rates Rural Rate Relief Scheme Rural Settlement List

1. Purpose of Report

1.1 This report outlines the areas to be included on the Authority’s Rural Settlement List for 2016/17.

2. Recommendations

It is recommended that Cabinet recommends to Council;-

2.1 The report recommends that the areas set out in 5.1 be agreed as the Rural Settlement List for 2016/17.

3. Introduction

3.1 The Rural Rate Relief Scheme was introduced on 1 April 1998 to help qualifying small general stores and post offices by allowing local authorities to reduce their rate bills. The scheme is intended to safeguard rural communities and preserve the future of village life by supporting the invaluable service they provide to local people.

3.2 Schedule 1 of Part 1 of the Local Government finance Act 1997 made provision for the allowance of mandatory and or discretionary relief from Non Domestic Rates for certain properties situated within designated rural areas, with effect from 1 April 1998.

3.3 The scheme has since been extended to include other qualifying rural businesses including food shops, public houses and petrol stations.

4. Background

4.1 To quality for relief properties must be situated within a designated rural settlement area of less than 3,000 people.

4.2 The Authority is required to compile a list of rural settlement areas for the purposes of the scheme.

4.3 Rural areas are defined as the whole of apart from those areas designated as urban areas which have a population in excess of 10,000. These were specified in 2002 in maps produced by the then Department of Trade, Local Government and the Regions.

4.4 The Technical Research Officer has confirmed that the following areas are below 3,000 in population.

5. Proposal and Justification

5.1 That the list set by the Authority, as detailed below, be approved as the Rural Settlement List for 2016/17

BMBC - Rural Settlement List 2016/17 By Parish Billingley Dunford Bridge Great Houghton Gunthwaite and Ingbirchworth High Hunshelf Langsett Little Houghton Oxspring Silkstone Stainborough Tankersley Wortley

Other Areas (as indicated on the attached maps) Broomhill Carlecoates Crane Moor Crow Edge Green Moor Hemingfield Howbrook Huthwaite Jump Middlecliffe Millhouse Green Pilley Silkstone Common Thurlstone Townhead 6. Implications for Local People / Service Users

6.1 The scheme supports rural communities and businesses that provide essential services to those communities.

7. Financial Implications

7.1 The cost of both mandatory and discretionary rural rate relief is split 50/50 between the Council and Central Government.

7.2 Applications for discretionary element of the relief are given individual consideration but only a limited number of applications have been received since the introduction of the scheme in 1998/99. Of those none have been deemed to meet the determined qualifying criteria of being a sole provider of a qualifying business within the area.

7.3 However, discretionary relief has been claimed by 2 applicants during the past year to offset the 100% allowance they would have received from small business rate relief.

8. Employee implications

8.1 There are no implications arising from this report.

9. Communications implications

9.1 As stated in section 5 it a requirement that the list be published. The list will be published on www.barnsley.gov.uk.

10. Consultations

10.1 Billing Authorities are required to compile a Rural Settlement list, which list all settlements in the authorities’ area, with a population of less than 3,000 on 31st December of the previous year. This list will be made public.

11. Community Strategy and the Council’s Performance Management Framework

11.1 There are no issues arising as a result of this report.

12. Tackling Health Inequalities

12.1 There are no issues arising as a result of this report

13. Climate Change & Sustainable Energy Act 2006

13.1 There are no issues arising as a result of this report.

14. Risk management issues

14.1 There are no known risks concerned with the publishing of the list. This is a statutory duty.

15. Health & safety issues

15.1 There are no issues arising as a result of this report.

16. Compatibility with the European Convention on Human Rights

16.1 There are no issues arising as a result of this report.

17. Promoting equality & diversity and social inclusion

17.1 The scheme helps maintain the viability of businesses in local rural areas and the provision of essential services to local people.

18. Reduction of crime & disorder

18.1 There are no issues arising as a result of this report.

19. Conservation of biodiversity

19.1 There are no issues arising as a result of this report.

20. Glossary

20.1 Not applicable

21. List of appendices

21.1 Appendix A – Location of maps for the areas covered.

22. Background papers

22.1 Not applicable.

Office Contact Hayley Oughton Telephone No 774800 Date 16th November 2015

BROOMHILL

CARLECOTES

CRANE MOOR

CROW EDGE

GREEN MOOR

HEMINGFIELD

HOOD GREEN

HOWBROOK

HOYLANDSWAINE

HUTHWAITE

JUMP

MIDDLECLIFFE

MILLHOUSE GREEN

PILLEY

SILKSTONE COMMON

THURLSTONE

TOWNHEAD