Issue - decisions

The Cabinet Member agrees that:

(i)  B&NES joins a 100% business rate retention pilot with Bristol and South Gloucestershire in 2017/18, subject to the final ratification of the Order for the West of England Devolution Deal.

(ii)  The principles of the 100% business rate retention pilot proposed by the Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG) on the basis that the pilot will not leave any of the pilot authorities in the West of England any worse-off in financial terms.

(iii)  The final decision on the terms of the pilot following DCLG issuing a detailed proposal later in October 2016 be delegated to the Council’s Chief Financial Officer in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Finance & Efficiency.

(iv)  The funding streams that are proposed for the 100% business rate retention pilot, as set out in the supporting report, are approved.

(v)  Agreement on the terms of a Memorandum of Understanding governing the redistribution scheme to ensure that no individual Authority can receive less than it would have done under the existing 50% scheme be delegated to the Council’s Chief Financial Officer.