Unfair business rates

AS A FoRMER local authority rating inspector, I know there are unfair aspects to business rates (Mail).

State schools pay full rates, while private schools get a mandatory reduction of 80 per cent due to the fact they are run as charities, despite charging the earth in fees.

Public toilets are rated, despite being a service, and the Valuation office imposes a higher charge for disabled parking spaces when working out the rateable value of a car park. KEVAN KAVANAGH,

Portsmouth, Hants. IT’S been suggested that if councils don’t want to end up with boardedup High Streets, they need to reduce business rates and parking charges.

However, councils can’t reduce business rates — they are set by a central government quango. Nor do they get to spend any of the money: it is collected by councils, but handed over to central government.

PAUL CLEGHORN, Bridlington, E. Yorks.