Council in a Pickle!...

Some time ago I sent a letter off to the Rt Hon. Eric Pickles MP. He of the large frame and looking like he's definitely eaten at least 3/4 of the pies! But I think his rotundity (is that a word?) gives a false first impression of the man and for me he's one of the more impressive of the government ministers. In my letter I pointed out to him how Business Rates, over zealous parking wardens/high charges and preferential treatment of charity shops are crippling small businesses, such as Mr. Books, and acting as a disincentive to business start ups and expansions. I'm quite sure he's had similar exasperated business people from all over the country making the same sort of complaints. To his credit he has passed my letter to someone who has written a lengthy reply outlining the action the government are taking on these issues. Much of this was announced in the Chancellor's Autumn Statement but it's still worth highlighting some of it. It seems that the Department for Communities and Local Government has been clamping down on parking policies of local governments and are about to introduce legislation against aggressive parking policies which will, for example, allow "grace periods" when parking outside shops on double yellows, just like in the old days. An end may be in sight then for situations, and it does happen, like the old man stopping outside the chemists, in the lay by outside my shop only to return to the car a few minutes later with the dreaded Penalty Charge Notice stuck on his windscreen after the lurking parking warden has done his dirty work. Let's hope so. Other measures mentioned in the reply were the confirmation of the £1,000 discount for two years of all retailers in shops with a rateable value of less than £50,000. So that would be most small shops on Tonbridge High Street but not, say, Waitrose and other supermarkets and probably not, say, the Oriental Buffet and Starbucks, who might fall just outside. The smallest of businesses with shop premises will have their rate relief doubled for a further period and this, effectively, means that they will pay no business rates. This was the case in my smaller older shop on Bank Street for example. Furthermore, businesses reoccupying a vacant premises will automatically receive rate relief of 50% for 18 months.This would apply to quite a few of the premises in the shopping arcades at the south end of the High Street and the boarded up unit at the end of Church Lane. Opportunities therefore are perhaps being created for such people with an entrepreneurial streak. The reply from Mr. Pickles department also confirmed that local authorities have wide ranging powers of discretion to grant business rates discounts "as they see fit." So, in theory at least, they ought to be able to offer increased relief to say butchers, bakers and, er hum, bookshops but not, say mobile phone shops. The only thing is that Tonbridge and Malling Borough Council seem to be interpreting these discretionary powers under the Localism Act 2011 (which I'm sure everyone has read!) in a completely different way to those for which they appear to have been intended. The only way I'm aware of businesses getting further business rate relief, over and above statutory ones, are by applying for a "Hardship Relief" which is, effectively, means tested and very involved. So what is happening to the money set aside for this extra rate relief intended as a stimulus to the High Street? Search me! Perhaps a spokesperson for the borough council would care to elaborate....