Rate relief for city clubs may be cut

DISCRETIONARY business rate relief for some not-for-profit organisations – including sports and social clubs – in Bradford could be cut.

Currently certain not-for-profit organisations get 80 per cent relief but it is proposed that this now should be granted on a sliding scale depending on what the groups do to support the district and the community. Bradford Council leader Councillor Ian Greenwood said: "In the current environment of cuts and budget pressures it seemed only right that we reviewed discretionary rate relief to see if we could make savings.

"Bradford has been very generous in the past and will contribute over 271,000 to the relief this year.

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"Clearly this has to be reviewed and we are considering proposals to introduce a sliding scale of relief depending on how much the individual groups support the district's priorities and help the local community."

Currently discretionary rate relief can be awarded up to 100 per cent. It is 25 per cent funded by the local authority and 75 per cent by central government. The proposals will go before the council's executive on February 11.