For publication Bedford Borough Council – Portfolio Holder for Revenues and Benefits, Customer Services and ICT November 2014 Report by the Assistant Director (Revenues, Benefits and Customer Service) Subject: BOUNDARIES OF RURAL SETTLEMENTS FOR THE PURPOSES OF RURAL RATE RELIEF 2015/2016 1. Executive Summary To review and determine the rural settlements in the Borough for the purposes of administration of Rural Rate Relief in accordance with section 42B of the Local Government and Rating Act 1997. 2. Recommendation To acknowledge that no changes are proposed to the Council’s Rural Settlements List and to approve the Rural Settlements List for 2015/2016 as attached at Appendix A for publication. 3. Reason for Recommendation To comply with the statutory requirement to determine the Rural Settlements List for Bedford Borough Council in order to enable awards of rural rate relief in 2015/2016. Key Implications 4.1 Legal Issues The Council is required to determine annually the rural settlements within its area where the population of the settlement is less than 3,000 and to publish a list of settlements before 31 December each year. Rural Settlements – November 2014 (1) Portfolio Holder for Revenues and Benefits, Customer Services and ICT Non-Domestic properties situated within such a designated rural settlement that meet certain qualifying criteria are eligible for relief from payment of the National Non-Domestic Rates. 4.2 Policy Issues To be eligible for rate relief a business must be located in a qualifying rural settlement which has a population of no more than 3,000 and falls wholly or partly in a rural area designated for the purposes of the rate relief scheme by the Secretary of State. It is the responsibility of the local authority to determine which settlements in its area meet these criteria and place them on the authority’s Rural Settlements List. The current Rural Settlements List has been reviewed to take account of the latest population statistics published by Bedford Borough Council. The Council has an agreed Policy for the award of discretionary rural rate relief and the determination of the Rural Settlements List is necessary in order for the Council to exercise its discretion in this matter. 4.3 Resource Implications The Rural Settlements List currently facilitates the award of rural rate relief worth £108,000 in 2014/2015 for small rural businesses. This consists of £45,000 in mandatory rural rate relief and £63,000 in discretionary rate relief. Awards of rate relief reduce the overall rates yield and, since the localisation of business rates from 1 April 2013, result in a corresponding reduction in the Council’s retained share of 49% of the rates yield. The effect of rural rate relief is taken into account when determining the non-domestic rates yield for the forthcoming financial year as part of the Council’s budget setting process. 4.4 Risk Implications It is a legislative requirement to determine and publish the list of rural settlements before 31 December in each year. Should the list not be published the Council may be unable to award rural rate relief resulting in small rural businesses being required to pay the full amount of business rates. 4.5 Environmental Implications None identified. Rural Settlements – November 2014 (2) Portfolio Holder for Revenues and Benefits, Customer Services and ICT 4.6 Equalities Implications In preparing this report due consideration has been given to the Borough Council’s statutory Equality Duty as set out in Section 149(1) of the Equality Act 2010 to have due regard to the need to: (a) eliminate discrimination, harassment, victimisation and any other conduct that is prohibited by or under this Act; (b) advance equality of opportunity between persons who share a relevant protected characteristic and persons who do not share it; (c) foster good relations between persons who share a relevant protected characteristic and persons who do not share it. A relevance test for equality has been completed. The equality test determined that the activity has no relevance to Bedford Borough Council’s statutory equality duty to eliminate unlawful discrimination, advance equality of opportunity and foster good relations. An equality analysis is not needed. 5. Details The Council is required to determine those settlements within its area which it considers to be rural settlements for the purposes of awarding rural rate relief. To be designated as a rural settlement the settlement must have a population of no more than 3,000 and fall wholly or partly in a rural area designated for the purposes of the rate relief scheme by the Secretary of State. The current Rural Settlements List has been reviewed to take account of the latest population statistics published by Bedford Borough Council and any changes in the composition of rural settlements. There are no changes proposed in respect of those settlements considered to be rural settlements for the purpose of the award of rural rate relief and the proposed Rural Settlements List for 2015/2016 is shown at Appendix A. 6. Summary of Consultations and Outcome The following Council Units or Officers and/or other organisations have been consulted in preparing this report: Management Group Relevant Officers No adverse comments have been received. Rural Settlements – November 2014 (3) Portfolio Holder for Revenues and Benefits, Customer Services and ICT Report Contact Officer: Lee Phanco, Assistant Director (Revenues, Benefits & Customer Service) e-mail: [email protected] File Reference: L.6(d) Previous Relevant Minutes: None Background Papers: None Appendices: Appendix A - Rural Settlements List as at 31 December 2014 Rural Settlements – November 2014 (4) Portfolio Holder for Revenues and Benefits, Customer Services and ICT APPENDIX A LIST OF RURAL SETTLEMENTS UNDER SECTION 42B OF THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT FINANCE ACT 1988 AS AT 31 DECEMBER 2014 In the Parish of Rural Settlements Great Barford Great Barford Little Barford Little Barford Biddenham Biddenham Bletsoe Bletsoe Bolnhurst & Keysoe Bolnhurst Keysoe (except Keysoe Row) Keysoe Row Bromham None Cardington Cardington Carlton & Chellington Carlton & Chellington Clapham None Colmworth Colmworth Cople Cople Dean & Shelton Lower Dean Upper Dean Shelton Rural Settlements – November 2014 (5) Portfolio Holder for Revenues and Benefits, Customer Services and ICT Eastcotts Cotton End Wilshamstead (See also Wilshamstead Parish) Old Harrowden Shortstown Elstow Elstow Abbeyfields Felmersham Felmersham Radwell Great Denham Great Denham Harrold Harrold Little Odell Kempston Rural Kempston Hardwick (See also Stewartby Parish) Church End/Green End/Cemetery Road West End/Box End Wood End Gibraltar Corner/Ridge Road Knotting & Souldrop Knotting Souldrop Melchbourne & Yielden Melchbourne Yielden Milton Ernest Milton Ernest Oakley Oakley Odell Odell Rural Settlements – November 2014 (6) Portfolio Holder for Revenues and Benefits, Customer Services and ICT Pavenham Pavenham Pertenhall Pertenhall Podington Podington Farndish Hinwick Ravensden Ravensden (excluding Church End) Church End, Ravensden Renhold Renhold (excluding Salph End) Salph End, Renhold Riseley Riseley Roxton Eaton Socon Wyboston (See also Staploe & Duloe Parish) Chawston Colesden Begwary (See also Staploe & Duloe Parish) Roxton Sharnbrook Sharnbrook Stagsden Stagsden Staploe & Duloe Colmworth (See also Colmworth Parish) Bushmead Duloe Honeydon Staploe Begwary (see also Roxton Parish) Upper Staploe Wyboston (See also Roxton and Wyboston Parishes) Rural Settlements – November 2014 (7) Portfolio Holder for Revenues and Benefits, Customer Services and ICT Little Staughton Little Staughton Stevington Stevington Stewartby Stewartby Kempston Hardwick (See also Kempston Rural Parish) Swineshead Swineshead Thurleigh Thurleigh Turvey Turvey Wilden Wilden Willington Willington Wilshamstead Wilshamstead Wixams Wootton Hall End Wyboston, Chawston, Wyboston (See also Staploe & Duloe Parish) and Colesden Chawston Colesden Wymington Wymington Rural Settlements – November 2014 (8) Portfolio Holder for Revenues and Benefits, Customer Services and ICT .