RESOLVED:

That Cabinet:

1.     Approved the existing policy for business rates discretionary rate relief set out at Appendix A;  

2.     Noted the updated Rural Settlement List at Appendix B;  

3.     Delegated the awarding of Hardship Relief, Discretionary Business Rate Relief and Part Occupied Relief to the Revenues and Benefits Service Manager in line with approved Council policy with any appeals to the Section 151 Officer;  

4.     Approved a separate policy document for Council Tax Discretionary Discounts as set out at Appendix C;  

5.     Continue to offer council tax discretionary discounts to care leavers leaving Shropshire Council care, up until the age of 25;  

6.     Introduced a new policy to support residents with their council tax where they have to move out of their homes due to an uninsured ‘Act of God’;  

7.     Delegated decisions concerning council tax discretionary discount awards to the Revenues and Benefits Service Manager in line with approved Council policy with any appeals to the Section 151 Officer;  

8.     Instructed the s151 Officer to plan for the creation of a Council Tax Discretionary Discount Hardship Fund to enable discretionary discounts to be awarded in circumstances that fall outside of the agreed policy or where support cannot be provided by the Crisis and Resilience Fund.  

9.     Committed to review both policies in 2029/30.