AS MANY as 750 businesses in Rhondda Cynon Taf (RCT) could get up to £500 through a local business rates relief scheme.
Cabinet has approved the continuation of the local discretionary rates relief scheme for RCT in 2025/2026 at a meeting on Wednesday, February 19.
It includes a maximum of £500 per qualifying business and is in addition to the Welsh Government’s Retail, Leisure and Hospitality (RLH) scheme.
The qualifying criteria of the RLH scheme will be applied and it is estimated that 750 businesses in Rhondda Cynon Taf would benefit from this further support.
In cases where the “net” rates bill (following the award of RLH and any other applicable reliefs) is less than £500, the rates bill will be reduced to zero, the cabinet report said.
Subject to an application and eligibility for RLH, the council will automatically award up to £500 of local discretionary relief.
Businesses will then receive an adjusted non-domestic rates bill, net of both RLH relief and the local business rate relief.
The report said there were no planned changes to the Welsh Government’s small business rate relief scheme.
The costs of the local business rate reduction scheme had already been factored into the council’s medium term financial plan and revenue budget, the report said.
The Welsh Government RLH scheme for 2025/26 will provide 40% rates relief for the next financial year and is aimed at eligible occupied businesses and other ratepayers in Wales in the retail, leisure and hospitality sectors, such as shops, pubs, restaurants, gyms, performance venues and hotels.
The scheme will apply to all eligible ratepayers but the overall value of RLH relief that can be allowed (across Wales) is £110,000 per business, the report said.
There is a list of the types of businesses able to qualify and one of the key qualifying criteria is that the property is used for the provision of goods and/or services to visiting members of the public.
Speaking about the local rates relief scheme, Councillor Christina Leyshon, cabinet member for corporate services said she was happy that they’d been able to maintain the £500.
Councillor Andrew Morgan, leader of the council, added that they were one of the few councils, if not the only council, in Wales that offered the local rates relief scheme and that they’d continued to add to it.
He said most authorities hadn’t continued with the local support and it was just down to the Welsh Government.
