OVER RATED

Fight to cut unfair business rates for struggling stores

TORY Business Secretary Greg Clark has suggested business rates could be cut to help struggling town centres.

In a boost for the Mirror’s High Street Fightback campaign, Mr Clark promised action to revitalise blighted shopping areas.

He said the review of rates would recognise the contribution thriv- ing high streets make to community life.

Speaking yesterday,

Mr Clark said: “Clearly, the high street is going to change, so planning rules and regulations have to roll with that change to allow the reshaping of high streets. Business rates is a factor.” He added: “My view is... a presence on a high street – quite apart from the turnover that it has – makes a big contribution to the community and to villages, towns and cities. And I think some recognition of that is appropriate.”

The Mirror is calling for a new fund to revive town centres and a change in planning laws to make it easier to convert disused shops for offices, leisure or housing.

We also want online retailers to pay their fair share of business rates, an end to rip-off parking charges in towns and councils to have more compulsory purchase powers for neglected shop sites.

Retail chiefs have repeatedly warned that stores have been battered by high business rates, while firms such as Amazon – which bases its huge depots out of town – pay far less.

More than 50,000 retail jobs have been lost and 51,000 high street businesses closed in the past year.

PHILIP Hammond is to slash £1.3billion from frontline council services in the next 12 months.

Main grant funding from central government will be cut by 36% in 2019/20, say local authorities.

And 168 councils will not get any of the grant money at all, the Local Government Association said. In the

decade to 2020, councils will have lost 60% of grants provided for services, according to the LGA.

The financial viability of some councils is under threat, while others are unable to protect children and provide dignified care for the elderly and disabled, the LGA said.

Council chiefs have called on the Chancellor to take action in his Budget

on October 29, with the LGA claiming residents in an average area face seeing more key services cut “dramatically”.

According to LGA figures, funding cuts and inflation mean an authority would lose £50.7million in 2019-1920.

Richard Watts, chairman of the

LGA’S resources board, said: “Unprecedented funding pressures and demand for adult and children’s

social care and homelessness services is pushing councils to the limit.

“As a result less money is being spent on the other services that keep our communities running, such as libraries, local roads, early intervention and local welfare support.

“Losing a further £1.3billion of central funding at this time is going to tip many councils over the edge.”