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<DIV><FONT size=2 face=Calibri>We are a not-for-profit CLG, but have always
(15 years) been rated as liable for NDR purposes. However, there's no net cost
as small business premises get a 100% relief grant towards business rates
automatically.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2 face=Calibri></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2 face=Calibri>We're in Scotland, but I think there's a
similar scheme in England as well - it's called Small Business Rate relief, and
I think it applies if your property has a rateable value less tha £18,000, but
it may not be 100%. See <A
href="http://www.slough.gov.uk/business/finance-funding-and-grants/small-business-rate-relief.aspx">http://www.slough.gov.uk/business/finance-funding-and-grants/small-business-rate-relief.aspx</A></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2 face=Calibri></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2 face=Calibri>Non-domestic rates, as the name indicates, don't
apply only to comemrcial businesses - they potentially apply to all non domestic
occupants. Last time I checked I think it was the case that only charities
automatically qualified for 80% NDR relief, and while many councils
extended this 100% and to not-for-profit community bodies that was a
discretionary extension.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2 face=Calibri></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2 face=Calibri>£1,500 a month sounds a huge amount to find - our
rates if we has to pay them would only be a few hundred
pounds year. Best of luck with your appeal.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2 face=Calibri></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2 face=Calibri>Alex</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2 face=Calibri>Two Lochs Radio</FONT> </DIV>
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<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial">----- Original Message ----- </DIV>
<DIV
style="FONT: 10pt arial; BACKGROUND: #e4e4e4; font-color: black"><B>From:</B>
<A title=rayc1066@yahoo.com href="mailto:rayc1066@yahoo.com">Ray C</A> </DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>To:</B> <A title=cma-l@commedia.org.uk
href="mailto:cma-l@commedia.org.uk">cma-l@commedia.org.uk</A> </DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Sent:</B> Tuesday, May 26, 2015 5:28 PM</DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Subject:</B> [cma-l] Community Radio Non
Domestic Business Rates</DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2 face=Calibri></FONT><FONT size=2 face=Calibri></FONT><FONT
size=2 face=Calibri></FONT><BR></DIV>
<DIV
style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #fff; FONT-FAMILY: HelveticaNeue, Helvetica Neue, Helvetica, Arial, Lucida Grande, Sans-Serif; COLOR: #000; FONT-SIZE: 14px">
<DIV id=yui_3_16_0_1_1432646188156_8542>Hi guys</DIV>
<DIV id=yui_3_16_0_1_1432646188156_8572><FONT size=2 face=Calibri></FONT><FONT
size=2 face=Calibri></FONT><BR></DIV>
<DIV dir=ltr id=yui_3_16_0_1_1432646188156_8655>As a community organisation as
we all are, we have received some very concerning news just today. We were
allowed 100% tax relief up until this year by the local authority, however due
to some alleged changes in local government policies which now apparently
state that a not for profit local community radio station is now deemed as a
commercial operator and this has resulted in us receiving a council tax demand
of around £1500 per month, as you can appreciate we literally fell of our
chair, all of a sudden the local authority feel that we do not relieve them of
any burden and therefore we have to be treated as a commercial entity. Has
anyone else had a similar experience? If so how did you deal with such a
massive hurdle, what steps could we now take to fight this. The CEO of the
local authority here in Slough also uses our service, and the council in
general use us to relay a whole host of information day to day to local
residents, we are at a loss and have started an appeals process as well as
written off to our local MP for
assistance.</DIV></DIV></BLOCKQUOTE></BODY></HTML>