The Cabinet Member for Finance Decision Meeting of Cotswold Council is scheduled to consider applications for discretionary rate relief. The meeting will also include an officer overview of the report and an opportunity for public questions.

Applications for Discretionary Rate Relief

The meeting is scheduled to consider one new application and one renewal application for Discretionary Rate Relief. These applications have been submitted under Section 47 of the Local Government Finance Act 1988¹ for the financial years 2025/27 and 2026/2027. The report pack indicates that the recommendation is to approve the applications because the organisation is carrying out activities that either support the council's priorities or have provided evidence of financial circumstances that meet the criteria for an award. The specific organisation mentioned is the Cotswold Conservation Board.

The report details that if Discretionary Rate Relief is awarded as recommended, it will result in a loss of non-domestic rates income of £9,765.81 for the financial year 2026/2027. Of this amount, £3,906.32 represents the cost to Cotswold District Council, as the collected non-domestic rating income is shared between the District Council (40%), County Council (10%), and Central Government (50%). The total collectable non-domestic rating income for 2026/2027 is estimated to be £36.5 million.

The report also notes that there are no equalities impacts associated with these applications and that the council supports a coordinated approach to addressing climate and ecological emergencies, including promoting nature recovery and enhancing ecological networks.

The agenda indicates that an officer will provide a verbal summary of the report, and members of the public will be invited to ask questions directly relating to the decision. The Cabinet Member for Finance, Councillor Patrick Coleman, will then be asked to confirm their decision, which could involve accepting the officer's recommendations, making a different decision, or referring the matter to a full Cabinet meeting.

Details of the specific applications are contained within an exempt annex, which is not for publication. This is because it contains information relating to the financial and business affairs of particular organisations, as defined by Paragraph 3 of Part 1 of Schedule 12A to the Local Government Act 1972. A public summary of the decision will be published after the matter has been determined.