Business Rates

The request was partially successful.

Dear West Lancashire District Council,

Please can you provide me with the following information under the
Freedom Of Information Act 2000:-

The most up to date list you can obtain (Ideally from April 2016) (please provide the date of the data) with;
(a) List all Commercial properties with their Rateable Values and addresses.
(b) The names and addresses of the Rate payers referred to above
for each property and their correspondence address (if different
from the property address)
(c) The full billing authority reference for each property (this is the property reference not the account number)
(d) The current liability payable for the year 2015/16 & 2016/17
(e) The date the rateable occupier first became liable for the
business rates
(f) If the property is empty that date it became empty
(g) Please also state which hereditament is currently receiving
I. Charitable rate relief (mandatory rate relief)
II. Discretionary rate relief
III. Empty property rate relief
IV. Listed building exemption
V. Retail Relief
VI Small Business Rate Relief
VII. Any other relief
(h) List of all credits on account and the amounts

In accordance with the ICO Torbay decision, I would appreciate it of this Council did not withhold the names of sole traders and partners. In the circumstances of the Torbay case the individuals were private landlords or sole traders and the Commissioner concluded that disclosure of their names would not breach the first data protection principle as the information relates to the business activities of the individuals concerned and not activities they undertake simply or solely in their private lives. The Commissioner concluded that disclosure would be fair and meet schedule 2 condition 6 of the Data Protection Act.

Thanking you in advance.

Yours faithfully,

Katy Stone

Freedom Of Information, West Lancashire Borough Council

This message is to acknowledge receipt of your communication. If your
request is a valid request for information under the terms of the Freedom
of Information Act 2000 it will be answered promptly and within 20 working
days.

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Freedom Of Information, West Lancashire Borough Council

1 Attachment

 

Dear Ms Stone

 

Freedom of Information Act 2000 – Request for Information

 

Thank you for your email of 31^st May 2016 where you requested
information about all non-residential properties in West Lancashire

 

The information you requested is enclosed.   If you have any queries
concerning the information provided, please do not hesitate to contact
me. 

 

However we do not provide details of individuals / sole traders, as this
is personal information, This information is exempt under section 40
(personal information) of the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA), as the
information constitutes third party data. Section 40(2) provides that
personal data about third parties is exempt information if one of the
conditions set out in section 40(3) is satisfied. Under the FOI Act
disclosure of this information would breach the fair processing principle
contained in the Data Protection Act (DPA), where it would be unfair to
that person/is confidential.

 

We have omitted any details to directly identify empty and unused
property. This is a crime prevention measure, and is covered by section 31
of the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA).

 

Further, we have not provided any details relating to rates relief on Sole
Trader accounts as they are personal details relating to their individual
accounts

 

If you are dissatisfied with the handling of your request, you have the
right to ask for an internal review. Internal review requests should be
submitted within two months of the date of receipt of the response to your
original letter and should be addressed to: Mr Shaun Walsh,
Transformation Manager.

 

Please remember to quote the reference number above in any future
communications.

 

If you are not content with the outcome of an internal review, you have
the right to apply directly to the Information Commissioner for a
decision. The Information Commissioner can be contacted at: Information
Commissioner’s Office, Wycliffe House, Water Lane, Wilmslow, Cheshire, SK9
5AF

 

Yours sincerely

Sylvia Smith

 

 

Sylvia Smith

Freedom of Information Officer

West Lancashire Borough Council

______________________________

 

Tel: 01695 585031

Fax: 01695 585050

West Lancashire Borough Council,

52 Derby Street, Ormskirk, L39 2DF
______________________________

 

[1]www.westlancs.gov.uk

 

Think before you print – save energy, paper and ink.

 

 

 

 

 

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