Business Ratepayers' Consultation on the Council's Proposed 2023-24 Budget

We asked business ratepayers within the borough for their views on our proposed budget for 2023-24, as business rates are a key contributor to our income budget. Business rates help support local services including street lighting, waste collection and public parks. We laid out the Council’s seven Priorities and asked ratepayers to tell us what was most important to them, as well as asking what they thought we were doing well and what needs improvement.

• There is a good level of business support offered to its businesses and that the north of the borough had good public transport links, safe streets and school streets. People are able to live locally and avoid long journeys to reach work and leisure facilities. 

• There is support for increasing street safety and public transport, and a strong desire for a reduction in graffiti. 

• Business rates should be reduced generally and there should be more access to grants. You suggested that new businesses should be entitled to 100% relief in the first year and then a sliding scale for the next five years to enable the business to be established. The benefit of this being that the business would be better able to benefit the wider local community and create and protect jobs.

• The consultation was taken to the Council meeting on Wednesday 1^st March 2023.

• The Council recognises the difference between the north and south of the borough in terms of infrastructure provision and continues to work collaboratively with Transport for London and other partners to secure investment, to ensure that both capital and service delivery provides for all of our residents across all wards. 

• The Council’s Active Travel Fund, as part of its planned capital programme, seeks to increase the number of safe streets and school streets, and will work closely with Transport for London to improve public transport accessibility where possible. As part of the pressures funding for 2023/24 there is specific additional funding being made available to tackle fly tipping and ensure that the Council can continue to tackle and enforce against all types of antisocial or illegal activity on our streets. 

• Business Rates are governed by legislation, in particular the Local Government Finance Act 1992. Whilst we appreciate the comments in terms of the charges and applicable reliefs for new businesses, the Council are solely responsible for the billing and collection of Business Rates, not the setting of these.

• Tackling antisocial behaviour: Please provide your views on our proposed Public Space Protection Order (PSPO) here.