Business Rates

The request was partially successful.

Dear Blackburn with Darwen Borough 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

Accesstoinformation, Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council

Dear Katy,

Thank you for your request for information regarding ‘Business Rates’ (reference number 00714). Your request was received on the 06/06/2016 and I am dealing with it under the terms of the Freedom of Information Act 2000 and/or Environmental Information Regulations 2004.

In some circumstances a fee may be payable and if that is the case, I will let you know. A fees notice will be issued to you, and you will be required to pay before we will proceed to deal with your request.

If you have any queries about this request, please contact Information Governance on 01254 585651. Alternatively, our email address is [Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council request email].

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

Kind Regards,

Heather Wolstenholme
Freedom of Information Officer
ITM&G Floor G,
Tower Block,
Blackburn Town Hall,
Blackburn,
BB1 7DY

Tel: 01254 585651

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Accesstoinformation, Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council

3 Attachments

Dear Katy,

Thank you for your request for information regarding ‘Business Rates’ (reference number 00714); please see our response attached. Please note that sole traders and partners have been refused under section 40, personal information of the FOIA. If you have any queries regarding your request for information then please don’t hesitate to contact me.

If you are unhappy with the service you have received in relation to your request and wish to make a complaint or request a review of our decision, you should write to: Sarah Slater, Information Governance Manager, Information Governance, Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council, G Floor, Town Hall, Blackburn, Lancashire, BB1 7DY or email [Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council request email].

If you are not content with the outcome of your complaint, you may apply directly to the Information Commissioner for a decision. Generally, the ICO cannot make a decision unless you have exhausted the complaints procedure provided by the Council. The Information Commissioner can be contacted at: The Information Commissioner’s Office, Wycliffe House, Water Lane, Wilmslow, Cheshire SK9 5AF.

Please find attached our 'have your say' feedback policy.

Kind Regards

Information Governance Team
Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council

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