Peterborough community group says tax hike puts future in doubt
Up The Garden Bath has been best known for upcycling old bath tubs and using them as planters in Central Park.Founder Dave Poulton said the project was "more than just a shop" and called for the council to "acknowledge its contribution to regenerate the city centre".He said paying the full rate meant an extra £24,000 a year in costs, which he called "uneconomical" and "unaffordable", and said it put its future in doubt."We will have to rely on volunteers instead," said Mr Poulton."We have to bring the rates down to keep Unity alive."He said the project had generated £700,000 in sales for small businesses.
CICs are limited companies which operate to benefit the community they serve.Business rates are a tax on non-domestic properties including shops, pubs and offices. The fees are collected by local councils.Fifty-three properties across Peterborough receive a complete rates relief, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service.Mr Poulton said all the revenue generated at the Unity store - which he said supported 50 small independent businesses monthly - was put back into the community, such as through crafts and gardening workshops.
'Wrong call'
The city's Labour MP Andrew Pakes and Conservative Paul Bristow, who is mayor for Cambridgeshire and Peterborough, have both called for the decision to be revised.Bristow said he was "shocked" to learn the shop was being charged a full commercial business rate, while Pakes said it was the "wrong call".Nicola Day, deputy leader of the Green Party on the council, said it was "good to see unified voices" for the store.Mohammed Jamil, the Labour deputy leader and cabinet member for finance and corporate governance at the council, said the business did not meet the criteria for mandatory rate relief."This is because the business remains predominantly retail in nature and eligibility for charitable rate relief requires that the premises be used wholly or mainly for charitable purposes," said Jamil.He said officers were in touch with the business to see how they could support it through other means.
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