Thousands of extra County Durham businesses can benefit from rate relief

Durham County Council has broadened the criteria for businesses to qualify for reduced rates after the Government introduced new rules which came into force on April 1 this year.

The original rate relief scheme came into effect on April 1, 2012, and offered discounts to various business types predominantly charities.

But members of the council’s cabinet heard more needs to be done to encourage businesses to take over empty shops plaguing the county’s town centres.

The updated scheme will see discounts of £1,000 available to shops, pubs and restaurants with a rateable value of below £50,000, and a 50 per cent relief for 18 months for businesses that move into shops which have been empty for at least a year.

Speaking at the cabinet meeting in Crook, County Durham, deputy council leader Alan Napier said the extension of the rate reliefs would not cost the authority a penny as the scheme is entirely funded by the Government.

He said: “We will be encouraging as many eligible businesses as possible to apply for this relief especially as the costs are covered by the Government, and I think that we should frame that.”

Maria Plews, cabinet member for leisure, libraries and lifelong learning, said: “Hopefully this will get rid of empty shops and helps businesses on our streets.”

Don McClure, the council’s corporate director of resources, said around 2,300 of the county’s 14,600 businesses could benefit from the new rate relief.

Rates are worked out on the value of a business’ property, which represents the annual rent the premises could have been let for on the open market on April 1, 2008.

Charities must be offered at least 80 per cent off their rates with the council able to offer 100 per cent at its own discretion.

The council has a budget of £330,000 to cover the rate reliefs, with the new extensions covered by the Government.

For more information on applying for rate reliefs, visit durham.gov.uk/businessrates.