Issue - decisions

The Borough Treasurer, in consultation with the Executive Councillor (Reform & Governance) has made the following decisions in line with the delegation from the Executive on 20 December 2016:-

(1)   For the Council to join the Greater Manchester Councils, Cheshire East Council and Cheshire West and Chester Council Business Rates Pool for 2017/18.

       The final decision to join the Pool was deferred by the Executive as the Council’s forecast of Business Rates for 2017/18 had not been fully finalised in December 2016 and any material deterioration to the final forecast could have been detrimental to the above Pool arrangement. The provisional forecast of Business Rates in the report to Executive on 20 December 2016 is now confirmed and a decision to join the Pool can now be formalised.

(2)   For the Council to join the Greater Manchester 100% Business Rates Retention Pilot from 1 April 2017.

       The final decision to join the 100% Rates Retention was deferred by the Executive as the scope of the Pilot was still being agreed with Central Government. The Provisional Local Government Finance Settlement confirmed Greater Manchester as one of the Pilots and Central Government have provided detail on the scope of the Pilot in 2017/18. As a result a decision to join the 100% Business Rates Retention Pilot can now be formalised.

The Executive agreed the following in relation to the Stockport Council Tax and Non-Domestic Rates Billing Area:-

·           that a forecast Collection Fund deficit of £0.301m in 2017/18 relating to a Council Tax surplus of £0.424m and Business Rates deficit of £0.725m be declared;

·           that the Council Tax Base for 2017/18 budget setting purposes of 91,720.1 Band D equivalent dwellings be approved; and

·           that the 2017/18 forecast for Business Rates income of £42.163m be provisionally approved.

and delegated the following decisions to the Borough Treasurer in consultation with the Executive Councillor (Reform & Governance):

·           any decision to vary the Business Rates forecast presented in paragraph 4.25 of the report;

·           the decision to pilot the 100% Business Rates Retention from 1 April 2017 as set out in paragraphs 4.24 to 4.28 of the report; and

·           the decision as to whether or not to join the Greater Manchester, Cheshire East, Cheshire West and Chester Business Rates Pool as set out in section 5 of the report.