FOI Request Average Business Rates

Request 101001434210

1)The median amount paid in business rates for the average business.
2)The average increase in business rates from 2007 to the latest available data.
3)The average relief given to businesses.Please include all relief's given.

4)Business rates (or non-domestic rates) income by sector.

Request Suspended pending Clarification 21-02-2017. Clarification Received 21-02-2017.

Response 21-03-2017

1. As at 31st December 2016, £36,234,069.50 had been collected for the last full financial year 2015/16. There are 5502 liable properties for 2015/16. 

Moray Council would like to draw the requesters attention to two points- Firstly, the department responsible takes the view that, due to the nature of all of the businesses across the region, from sole traders with premises to the RAF Lossiemouth base, it would be unfair of us to provide an Average or Median figure, for the Non-Domestic rates as requested as there is not an 'Average' business in Moray. Secondly, Non-Domestic Rates applies to all buildings not registered as 'dwellings', this can be an aircraft hanger, a distillery or a beach hut, and we are unable to distinguish in our records what an 'average' business is. Under section 15 of the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002- Duty to provide advice and assistance,  we have provided numerical data which we believe may assist the requester should they wish to formulate their own conclusion.

2. The actual increases in Non- Domestic Rates are as follows:

The rates poundage's for the years 2007 onwards are as follows, 2007 -  44.1p ; 2008 - 45.8p ; 2009 - 48.1p ; 2010 - 40.7p ; 2011 - 42.6p ; 2012 - 45.0p ; 2013 - 46.2p ; 2014 - 47.1p ; 2015 - 48.0p and 2016 - 48.4p.  

3. As at 20th March 2017, £6,866,776.62 was awarded in relief to 2015/16 liable properties. Again, as per question 1, eligibility for relief of Non-Domestic Rates is assessed on a case by case basis as individual rate payers may or may not be eligible for relief depending on the criteria set out in legislation for the different types of relief. What a small business may be eligible for the RAF base would not, therefore it would not be fair to provide the 'Average' relief given as there is technically no such thing. Again under section 15 of the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002- Duty to provide advice and assistance,  we have provided numerical data which we believe may assist the requester should they wish to formulate their own conclusion.

4. We do not record properties or rate payers by sector, so income by sector is not recorded therefore this information is exempt under Section 17 of the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002- Information Not Held. .

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