Treasury Committee hits out over backdated rates
The UK Treasury Committee has hit out at an “insensitive” government for failing to meet with port operators to discuss the controversial backdated business rates bills.
In its annual report issued on Tuesday, the committee accused the government of “washing its hands of problems” that had arisen, in part, because of its “insensitive handling of port rate revaluation”.
It said: “Last year, we expressed our concern at the manner in which the revaluation of UK statutory ports had been handled and implemented.
“We noted in particular that port occupiers were facing bills for backdated business rates which do not take account of payments they have already made to port operators towards rates.
“We recommended that the government take steps to ensure that the financial liabilities faced by port occupiers take such payments into account.
“In its response, although the government did not agree with all our reasoning, it did tell us: ‘ministers are meeting representatives of some of the port operators to discuss the issues’.
“We were, therefore, dismayed to learn from Stephen Timms [MP for East Ham and financial secretary for the treasury] that ‘this is clearly a matter between the ports and their tenants’.”
The criticism comes a week after Scotline Terminal Goole went into liquidation after receiving a rates demand for £600,000 (US$896,000) from East Riding Council.
In its annual report issued on Tuesday, the committee accused the government of “washing its hands of problems” that had arisen, in part, because of its “insensitive handling of port rate revaluation”.
It said: “Last year, we expressed our concern at the manner in which the revaluation of UK statutory ports had been handled and implemented.
“We noted in particular that port occupiers were facing bills for backdated business rates which do not take account of payments they have already made to port operators towards rates.
“We recommended that the government take steps to ensure that the financial liabilities faced by port occupiers take such payments into account.
“In its response, although the government did not agree with all our reasoning, it did tell us: ‘ministers are meeting representatives of some of the port operators to discuss the issues’.
“We were, therefore, dismayed to learn from Stephen Timms [MP for East Ham and financial secretary for the treasury] that ‘this is clearly a matter between the ports and their tenants’.”
The criticism comes a week after Scotline Terminal Goole went into liquidation after receiving a rates demand for £600,000 (US$896,000) from East Riding Council.
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