New council urged to expand rate bill help
A business support move which was created in the wake of the McEwens of Perth collapse should be extended outside the city, according to an influential trade representative body.
Perth’s Federation of Small Businesses wants the forthcoming administration at Perth and Kinross Council to enhance the rates relief package.
PKC made available £620,000 in the package following the closure of the iconic family-run department store. It helped to safeguard struggling businesses, and was welcomed by Fair City firms.
Nearly a year on and more than 200 companies have benefited from this scheme already. It is hoped the new council voted in at this week’s council elections will expand this to areas outside Perth.
Corrado Mella, the chairman of the Federation of Small Businesses, said:“We welcomed last year’s positive action from Perth and Kinross Council to help struggling Perth retailers.
“The new council has an opportunity to address the challenges faced by our other towns such as Blairgowrie and Crieff and think in an innovative way about how to make them vibrant and dynamic places to live, work and visit.
“We know that smaller firms are key to prosperous local economies. In these uncertain times, strong partnerships between councils and their business communities are more important than ever.”
A spokesperson for Perth and Kinross Council said:“Businesses, in the main, have benefited from revaluation this year, meaning that their rate bills have already been reduced.
“In addition, the threshold for the 100% small business bonus entitlement has been increased from £10,000 to £15,000, opening the maximum benefit of the scheme up to many more ratepayers, and the threshold at which larger businesses pay a supplement has decreased from £51,000 to £25,000 which will benefit over 180 businesses in the Perth and Kinross area.
“Both of these have had a positive impact in reducing rates liabilities.”
Perth FSB’s Corrado Mella says the incoming council administration should look at easing the strain on firms outside Perth