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10 May 22
Experts have questioned whether the Levelling Up Bill outlined in today's Queen's Speech will do enough to revive local economies.
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6 May 22
Councils have called for clarity over proposed compensation levels after the government announced it will press ahead with plans to remove large telecom companies and railway services from local...
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14 Feb 22
Levelling up secretary Michael Gove has said England’s directly elected mayors should be given control of business rates in order to boost devolution and aid the government’s economic vision for...
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17 Nov 21
Councils' level of business rates income held in reserve to cover future appeals rose by almost a third last year – representing an increase of almost £1bn.
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8 Nov 21
The government has abandoned plans to allow councils to retain 75% of their business rates, the new communities secretary Michael Gove has announced.
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28 Oct 21
The government has shied away from a fundamental reform of the business rate system in the 2021 Autumn Budget and Spending Review, with experts saying councils still lack long-term...
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1 Oct 21
The government must take seriously ideas for tax devolution, including local income and tourist levies, to give councils in England more certainty over funding, according to MPs.
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27 Sep 21
A future Labour government would replace non-domestic rates with a fairer system to ease the burden on smaller high street firms, shadow chancellor Rachel Reeves has announced.
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1 Sep 21
The Scottish government has unveiled proposals for council tax and business rate reforms, including a realignment of rate bands, in a consultation on a new framework for tax policy.
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27 Aug 21
More frequent business rates valuations in England would be a “positive step” but must happen alongside other reforms to the wider council funding system, the Local Government Association has told...
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17 Aug 21
The government will compensate English and Welsh councils as it proposes moving responsibility for collecting more than £300m of business rates tax to the Treasury.
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5 Aug 21
Local authorities in England and Wales are losing close to £110m per year from business rates “loopholes” on holiday homes, according to research from property consultancy Colliers.
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29 Jun 21
The government has proposed a three-year valuation period for business rates, alongside changes to the appeals process, in a bid to make the system more effective.
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23 Jun 21
Government figures released today show a sharp rise in business rate and council tax arrears - PF speaks to local authority finance officers about the factors behind the figures.
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9 Jun 21
The Court of Appeal has thrown out an appeal from the London Borough of Merton which argued that a Nuffield Health leisure centre should be fully liable for business rates.
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1 Jun 21
Tom Kiernan, associate at law firm Dentons, says a landmark Supreme Court appeal on alleged business rates avoidance is good news for local authorities.
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14 May 21
The Supreme Court has allowed a group of local authorities to pursue a claim for business rates against landlords who transferred properties to special purpose vehicles, in a case which could result...
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14 May 21
Consultation shows support for online sales tax, but briefing raises questions over appetite for change.
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25 Mar 21
A decision by NHS trusts to back down in their legal battle to receive business rates rebates removes a huge headache for local authorities, experts have told PF.
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23 Mar 21
A government consultation on business rates has found widespread opposition to its replacement by a capital values tax – but the idea of an online service tax got a warmer welcome.
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17 Mar 21
A revenue finance officer redirected more than £60,000 from the local authority she worked for to pay off her credit card bills.
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16 Mar 21
A permanent drop in council income streams mean the government’s pre-Covid-19 strategy for reforming local government funding is a “busted flush”, according to Rob Whiteman, CIPFA chief executive.
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18 Feb 21
Councils in England face setting aside an additional £2bn to help cover business rates appeals over the next two financial years due to Covid-19, unless central government support is forthcoming.
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17 Feb 21
The Scottish Government has will extend the 100% business rates holiday for the whole of the next financial year, following further UK government funding.
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8 Feb 21
Treasury officials are looking into the implementation of an online sales tax and an ‘excessive profit’ levy, in response to the increase in online shopping resulting from Covid-19, according to...
10 May 22Experts have questioned whether the Levelling Up Bill outlined in today's Queen's Speech will do enough to revive local economies.
6 May 22Councils have called for clarity over proposed compensation levels after the government announced it will press ahead with plans to remove large telecom companies and railway services from local...
14 Feb 22Levelling up secretary Michael Gove has said England’s directly elected mayors should be given control of business rates in order to boost devolution and aid the government’s economic vision for...
8 Nov 21The government has abandoned plans to allow councils to retain 75% of their business rates, the new communities secretary Michael Gove has announced.
1 Oct 21The government must take seriously ideas for tax devolution, including local income and tourist levies, to give councils in England more certainty over funding, according to MPs.
27 Sep 21A future Labour government would replace non-domestic rates with a fairer system to ease the burden on smaller high street firms, shadow chancellor Rachel Reeves has announced.
1 Sep 21The Scottish government has unveiled proposals for council tax and business rate reforms, including a realignment of rate bands, in a consultation on a new framework for tax policy.
27 Aug 21More frequent business rates valuations in England would be a “positive step” but must happen alongside other reforms to the wider council funding system, the Local Government Association has told...
5 Aug 21Local authorities in England and Wales are losing close to £110m per year from business rates “loopholes” on holiday homes, according to research from property consultancy Colliers.
23 Jun 21Government figures released today show a sharp rise in business rate and council tax arrears - PF speaks to local authority finance officers about the factors behind the figures.
9 Jun 21The Court of Appeal has thrown out an appeal from the London Borough of Merton which argued that a Nuffield Health leisure centre should be fully liable for business rates.
1 Jun 21Tom Kiernan, associate at law firm Dentons, says a landmark Supreme Court appeal on alleged business rates avoidance is good news for local authorities.
14 May 21The Supreme Court has allowed a group of local authorities to pursue a claim for business rates against landlords who transferred properties to special purpose vehicles, in a case which could result...
14 May 21Consultation shows support for online sales tax, but briefing raises questions over appetite for change.
25 Mar 21A decision by NHS trusts to back down in their legal battle to receive business rates rebates removes a huge headache for local authorities, experts have told PF.
17 Mar 21A revenue finance officer redirected more than £60,000 from the local authority she worked for to pay off her credit card bills.
16 Mar 21A permanent drop in council income streams mean the government’s pre-Covid-19 strategy for reforming local government funding is a “busted flush”, according to Rob Whiteman, CIPFA chief executive.
8 Feb 21Treasury officials are looking into the implementation of an online sales tax and an ‘excessive profit’ levy, in response to the increase in online shopping resulting from Covid-19, according to...
