Issue - meetings

Report of the Interim Deputy Chief Executive (Resources and Transformation)/Section 151 Officer attached.

The Council noted a report of the Interim Deputy Chief Executive (Resources and Transformation) that had been provided to update Members on an urgent decision that had been taken by Cabinet on the Business Rates Retention Pilots for 2019/20.

Although the Leader of the Opposition expressed concerns that the decision should have been a Council decision, it was explained that the Government had invited councils in England to bid to pilot 75% retention of business rates in 2019/20, with a deadline for submission of 25 September 2018. As the decision was key and sat outside our policy framework, the decision did require Council approval. However, as full Council was set for 26 September, Cabinet were asked to consider the proposal in principle as a prelude to urgent decision making powers being exercised.

Due to the timescales for submitting a pilot bid, Cabinet also endorsed the use of urgent powers to approve submission of the bid by the Section 151 Officer (or Deputy Section 151 Officer in her absence) signing off the decision in consultation with the Cabinet Member (Finance).

Members noted that the decision appended to the report was for South Ribble to participate in the Lancashire bid to be a pilot of 75% Business Rate Retention in 2019/20 and that the decision had been made on the understanding that the Council would be in no worse a financial position, in entering the pilot, and that if not successful the default position would continue with the existing pool arrangement.

The Council were still awaiting the outcome of their submission bid.

RESOLVED (Unanimously):

To note the report.