Issue - meetings

Report by the Chief Operating Officer

50.1     The Cabinet considered a report by the Chief Operating Officer.  Amended recommendations were circulated prior to the meeting.   

50.2     It was RESOLVED: (1) to agree, subject to recommendation 2 below and the Chief Finance Officer being satisfied:

a) that no authority shall receive a lower level of funding than they would have received without the Pool; and

b) any resources gained on the basis of the levy amount saved by individual authorities be shared on the following basis: 40% to ESCC, 10% to the Fire Authority and the remaining 50% split amongst the District/Borough Councils;

to the Council’s participation in an East Sussex National Non Domestic Rate Pool;

(2) to agree to delegate authority to the Chief Finance Officer to  agree the terms of, and enter into the Memorandum of Understanding and to take any other action to give effect to recommendation 1 above; and

(3) agree that the Chief Finance Officer shall review the Council’s membership of the Pool on an annual basis

Reason

50.3      Local authorities are free to come together to form pools for Non Domestic Rates (NDR) purposes.  In such cases tariffs and top-ups can be combined and this can result in lower payments being made to the government.  Authorities within such arrangements need to agree how risks and benefits are shared.  A pooling arrangement within East Sussex could result in additional resources being retained within East Sussex.