To approve Herefordshire Council’s application to be a pilot area for 100% business rate retention in 2018/19 in a pooling arrangement with Shropshire Council and Telford and Wrekin Council.

That:

(a)  the chief financial officer be delegated authority to submit an application for Herefordshire Council, together with Shropshire and Telford and Wrekin councils, to be a 100% business rate pool pilot area for 2018/19; and

(b)  general scrutiny committee be requested, should the application be accepted, to consider the implications for Herefordshire of operating such a pool and to make any such recommendations as it feels appropriate to inform a further decision on participation.

1.    To not submit an application, this is not recommended because it would not lead to the financial benefit expected from a successful application.

2.    Herefordshire could submit an application to be a pilot pool with different councils, this is not recommended as there are existing arrangements with the Marches Local Enterprise Partners supporting the objective of the pool to promote financial stability.

3.    The application could be submitted without a request for a no detriment clause, this is not recommended as it increases the risk of reduced funding if the application is successful.