Issue - meetings

Consideration was given to a report of the Director of Finance which presented to Cabinet the Council Tax Tax Base and provisional Non-

Domestic Rates (NDR) Tax Base forecast for 2020/21, which would underpin the forthcoming Council Budget and Medium-Term Financial Strategy scheduled for consideration at Budget Council on 26 February 2020.

The report also sought delegated authority to finalise the 2020/21 Non-Domestic Rates (Business Rates) forecast in order to reflect the information contained in the Local Government Finance Settlement for 2020/21 and up to date Non-Domestic Rates details, to be submitted to Central Government via the annual NNDR 1 return by the statutory deadline of 31 January 2020.

Additional approval was sought approval to delegate the final decision to join the pooling of Business Rates in 2020/21 with other Greater Manchester Districts, Cheshire East & Cheshire West and Chester Councils. Oldham had pooled Business Rates with neighbouring Authorities since 2015/16. The receipt of the Provisional Local Government Finance Settlement marked the start of a 28-day period for confirming Oldham’s membership within the 2020/21 Business Rates Pool and the timing might not align with future Cabinet meetings.

Members were asked to note that the General Election of 12 December 2019 had affected the timetable for budget setting and related activities across all billing and precepting authorities. Delays to the publication of information such as the Provisional Local Government Finance Settlement might impact on billing authorities’ ability to submit government returns (such as the NNDR 1) and notify preceptors of tax base information on or before normal statutory deadlines. This, in turn, might impact on the timetable for scrutinising and considering budget reports at Committees and meetings leading up to Budget Council planned for 26 February 2020.

Cabinet noted the report set out information on the Council Tax Tax Base for 2020/21 using the most up to date valuation list and all other information and estimates available.

The total number of chargeable properties included in the Council Tax Tax Base calculation in Oldham for 2020/21 was 95,071. This figure was reduced to 86,290.25 after allowing for discounts and exemptions and translated to the equivalent of 68,454 Band D properties. After applying adjustments for the Local Council Tax Support scheme offset by the additional charging for empty properties and an anticipated increase in the number of properties to be included in the valuation list over the forthcoming year, the number of Band D equivalent properties reduced to 59,446. The final Tax Base after the application of the anticipated collection rate of 97% was 57,663 which was an increase of 970 over the Council Tax Tax Base for 2019/20 of 56,693.

The 2020/21 Tax Bases for Saddleworth and Shaw and Crompton Parish Councils of 8,707 and 5,494 respectively, had been calculated using the same

methodology.

Members were reminded that statute required local billing authorities to prepare and submit to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) a locally determined and approved Business Rates forecast through the NNDR 1 return by 31 January  ...  view the full minutes text for item 9