Issue - meetings

REPORT OF THE SERVICE DIRECTOR – CUSTOMERS

To inform Members of the reporting processes for the NNDR 1 Return and to approve the Draft NNDR1 Return for 2025/2026.

RESOLVED:

(1)             That the Draft NNDR 1 was approved.

(2)             That it was noted that a 2^nd draft version of the NNDR1 was sent to Councils by the Ministry of Housing, Communities & Local Government (MHCLG) on Monday 16^th December 2024. The final version of NNDR1 would need to be returned to MHCLG by Wednesday 31^st January 2025.

(3)             That the Committee delegated any amendments to the return resulting from changes to the return and any additional guidance, to the Service Director – Customers in consultation with the Service Director – Resources and the Committee Chair.

REASONS FOR DECISIONS: To comply with statutory requirements.

Audio recording – 9 minutes 27 seconds

The Service Director – Customers, presented the report entitled ‘National Non-Domestic Rate Return 1 (NNDR1) 2025/26’, and advised that:

·        This was an annual statutory return which had a required return and submission date of 31January each year.

·        This return was the best estimate of NNDR to be collected in the following year and allowed the Council to calculate any surplus and deficit as well as the amount of NNDR to be retained locally.

·        The form traditionally followed the government Autumn Statement and incorporated any changes made to Business Rates.

·        There was a tight turnaround for the Council to complete this form as it had been received on 16December and there was more than one version to complete. These also had to be reviewed by the Finance team and externally by LG Futures before being returned.

·        The return itself had been uploaded the previous day on 22 January as a supplement to the report.

·        Despite the return being complete, last-minute amendments could be received before the deadline and therefore the delegation to officers at recommendation 2.3 was required.

·        The expected income showed £21.724 million.

Councillor Ian Albert, as Chair, proposed and Councillor Val Bryant seconded and, following a vote, it was:

RESOLVED:

(1)   That the Draft NNDR 1 was approved.

(2)   That it was noted that a 2^nd draft version of the NNDR1 was sent to Councils by the Ministry of Housing, Communities & Local Government (MHCLG) on Monday 16^th December 2024. The final version of NNDR1 would need to be returned to MHCLG by Wednesday 31^st January 2025.

(3)   That the Committee delegated any amendments to the return resulting from changes to the return and any additional guidance, to the Service Director – Customers in consultation with the Service Director – Resources and the Committee Chair.

REASONS FOR DECISIONS: To comply with statutory requirements.