SRC welcomes publication of business rates legislation
The Scottish Government’s Non-Domestic Rates (Scotland) Bill has been published today, based on the recommendations of the recent Barclay Review of Business Rates. David Lonsdale, Director of the Scottish Retail Consortium, said:
“Our archaic business rates system is in urgent need of reform and it is very welcome to see Scottish Ministers making tangible headway on recasting it for the future. The retail industry stumps up over a fifth of all rates paid, and with shops under enormous pressure action is certainly needed to improve the situation.
“The legislative proposals for more frequent commercial property revaluations and the planned halving of the period between valuations being undertaken and them coming into effect is particularly positive. This should help the rates system better reflect trading conditions and provide a more effective shock absorber against future economic bumps in the road. It will help the rates system keep pace with structural changes in the economy, decrease the likelihood of major fluctuations in values between revaluations and consequently lessen the appetite for appeals.
“The Bill also includes welcome measures to streamline the administrative complexity around the rates system and improve transparency.
“However this shouldn’t be the limit of our ambition. The overall rates burden remains onerous, with retailers facing a further £13.2 million increase in their rates bills from April. A medium term plan to lower the rates burden, coupled with restoration of parity with England on the large firms’ supplement, would increase retailers’ confidence about investing in new and refurbished shop premises.”
