Non-domestic Rates Notice 2023/24

We intend to spend £151.1m in 2023/24 on capital projects (£146.2m in 2022/23), which will be financed from the following sources:

General reserves (or balances) are necessary to provide for levelling out of normal peaks and troughs of a year’s financial activities.

It is estimated that such balances will stand at around £10.0m on 31st March 2024 (£10.0m on 31st March 2023).

We have also set aside other reserves to meet specific expenditure and these are estimated to amount to £85.8m on 31st March 2024 (£119.9m on 31st March 2023).

The Welsh Government sets a Standard Spending Assessment for us. This is the amount which the Welsh Government assesses is required to provide, in relative terms, a standard level of service in the area. The assessment for 2023/24 and a comparison with our budget requirement is set out below:

The information given below explains some of the terms which may be used on a non-domestic rate demand and in the supporting information. Further information about liability to non-domestic rates may be obtained from billing authorities.

The non-domestic rates collected by billing authorities are paid into a central pool and redistributed to county and county borough councils and police authorities. Your council and police authority use their shares of redistributed rate income, together with income from their council tax payers, revenue support grant provided by the National Assembly for Wales and certain other sums, to pay for the services they provide.

The rateable value of non-domestic property is fixed in most cases by an independent valuation officer of the Valuation Office Agency. All non-domestic property is revalued every five years. From 1 April 2017, the rateable value of a property represents its annual open market rental value as at 1 April 2015. For composite properties which are partly domestic and partly non-domestic the rateable value relates to the non-domestic part only.

The values of most properties in respect of which rates are payable to your authority are shown in the local rating list, which is available on the Valuation Office Agency website or call 03000 505505.

The rateable value may alter if the valuation officer believes that the circumstances of the property have changed. The ratepayer (and certain others who have an interest in the property) may also in certain circumstances propose a change in value. If the ratepayer and the valuation officer do not agree the valuation, the matter will be referred as an appeal to a Valuation Tribunal. Further information about how to propose a change in a rateable value is available from the Valuation Office Agency website.

Information about the circumstances in which a change in rateable value may be proposed and how such a proposal may be made is available from the local valuation office shown above. Further information about the appeal arrangements may be obtained from Carmarthenshire County Council or from the Valuation Office Agency.

This is the rate in the pound by which the rateable value is multiplied to give the annual rate bill for a property. The multiplier set annually by the Welsh Government is the same for the whole of Wales and except in a revaluation year cannot rise by more than the rate of the increase in the retail prices index.

With effect from 1 April 2011 the Rateable Value threshold for exemption has been reduced to £2,600.

Owners of unoccupied non-domestic properties may be liable to empty property rates which are charged at 100 per cent of the normal liability. Liability begins after the property has been empty for 3 months or, in the case of factories and warehouses, after the property has been empty for 6 months. Certain types of property are exempt from empty property rates.

Charities and community amateur sports clubs are entitled to 80% relief from rates on any non-domestic property where–

• in the case of charities, the property is wholly or mainly used for charitable purposes, or
• in the case of a club, the club is registered with HM Revenue & Customs.

Billing authorities have discretion to remit all or part of the remaining 20 per cent of the bill on such property and can also give relief in respect of property occupied by certain bodies not established or conducted for profit. For more information regarding clubs you should contact:

• Inland Revenue Charities, Sports Clubs Unit, St Johns House, Bootle L69 9BB (0845 3020203)
• Or via the inland revenue website: http://www.hmrc.gov.uk

Welsh Government has made changes to the scheme which come into effect from 1st April 2018. The revised scheme is outlined below:

• Premises with Rateable Value not exceeding £6,000 will continue to be entitled to 100% relief
• There is also no change for premises above £6,000 Rateable Value up to the upper RV limit of £12,000 where relief will reduce on a tapered basis, gradually reducing at a rate of approximately 1% for every £60 RV e.g. a property with RV £6,120 will attract 98% relief; a property with RV £6,600 will attract 90% relief.

(The relief outlined above will apply to all types of business, not only retail. Although certain categories of ratepayer are excluded, including local authorities and charitable organisations.)

• Child care premises with Rateable Value not exceeding £6,000 will continue to be entitled to 100% relief
• For Child care premises with Rateable Value above £6,000 Rateable Value, and up to an increased upper RV limit of £20,500 relief will reduce on a tapered basis from 100% to zero
• Post Offices with Rateable Value not exceeding £9,000 will be entitled to 100% relief; those with a rateable value above £9,000 Rateable Value up to £12,000 will be entitled to 50% relief

However, under new rules, a ratepayer will only be able to receive relief for up to two premises in any single local authority area (child care premises and post offices are excluded from this restriction). In such cases the ratepayer must give notice of those hereditaments to the Council.

Please note, premises occupied by ratepayers that are charities or non-profit making-organisations that are entitled to apply for mandatory or discretionary “charitable” relief, will not qualify for Small Business Relief. The business property must be wholly occupied to qualify for relief.