Decision details

The Executive Member (Resources), Councillor Peter Wilson, presented the report of the Statutory Finance Officer which set out the case for the Council’s participation in a pilot scheme in which a substantial element of government funding will be received by membership of a 75% Business Rates Retention Pilot pool in 2019/20.

At present it is intended that the Lancashire pilot will include the current membership of the Lancashire Business Rates Pool 2018/19, plus Lancaster and Preston, Lancashire Fire and Rescue Service (LFARS), and the unitary authorities Blackburn with Darwen and Blackpool.  Final membership is still to be determined, as each potential participant will need to seek approval to be part of the bid.  The deadline for submitting a bid signed off by the Council’s Statutory Finance Officer is 25 September. 

If the pilot bid does not proceed or is not successful, Lancashire councils may seek to continue the existing pooling arrangement in 2019/20 to continue the benefits already being achieved.

The Executive Member (Resources), Councillor Peter Wilson, proposed and the Executive Leader, Councillor Alistair Bradley, seconded the DECISION – To

1.    Approve in principle the Council’s participation in the Lancashire bid to be a pilot of 75% Business Rate Retention in 2019/20.

2.    Grant delegated authority to sign the bid application to the Statutory Finance Officer in consultation with the Executive Member (Resources).