2009 press releases

25th Mar: Local MP: Government must do more to support small businesses

Local MP, Norman Baker has today called on the government to provide support for small businesses by introducing an element of Transitional Rate Relief Period for the 2009/10 financial year.

Transitional relief is used to reduce the impact of revaluations for those most affected by the changes in rateable value. For the last revaluation in 2005, limits were set so that the increases were phased in over a period of up to four years. As this four year period has expired, transitional rate relief is no longer in place and this accounts for the sizeable increases that some small businesses are seeing with their business rates, in some instances, a threefold cost in expenditure.

Norman Baker says: "Small businesses are really feeling the squeeze at the moment and steps must be taken to minimise the effect of the current financial climate. It is therefore not acceptable for large bills to be falling on small business owners' laps at such a time. In some instances the expiration of rate relief has left local businesses with a threefold increase in their business rates. This is simply unmanageable.

"When the last revaluation period was set, the economic climate was far more stable so the four year period was reasonable. However, things have changed, and the government must react to that. I have therefore written to John Healey MP, the Minister of State for Local Government, to ask that strong consideration be given to introducing an element of Transitional Rate Relief Period for the 2009/10 financial year. Such a step, would, in my view, provide valuable relief and help to bring the government's position on small business support in line with their rhetoric."

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