7^th January 2010

NB/BM/FOIA1442

01437 775240

Neil Bennett

[email address]

Stephen Ball

[email address]

Dear Mr Ball

Freedom of Information Act Request re Commercial Property not Receiving Small Business Rates Relief

Thank you for your request received in this office on 6^th January 2010.

The information you requested is:

The £11,000 rateable value threshold does not apply in Wales until April 2010 when values are uplifted to reflect the revaluation of business rate properties effective from 1st April 2010. The Authority's stance has been to automatically apply the mandatory small business rate relief to eligible properties up to rateable value £6500 and to eligible post offices. Due to the Welsh provisions we must request an application from businesses with rateable values from £6501 to £9000 which are used wholly or mainly for the sale of goods. As a Council we have taken a proactive position and identified likely qualifiers and invited applications and duly assessed them.

I wish to advise you that we would only be able to supply any information if held relating to properties that are occupied by companies in accordance with S.40, (personal information), of the Freedom of Information Act 2000.

If you have any complaints in respect of your information request, the Council does have a complaints procedure which includes requests specifically relating to the Freedom of Information Act. If your complaint is not resolved by the Council's procedure, you have a right under S50 of the Act to apply to the Information Commissioner for a further review of the matter by writing to the Information Commissioner's Office, Cambrian Building, Mount Stuart Square, Cardiff CF10 5FL.

Yours sincerely

Neil Bennett

Head of Information and Cultural Services