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Discretionary rate relief - Options for changing the scheme
Please let us know your thoughts about the following options.  

Charity shops
Charity shops (large and small) already receive mandatory relief of 80%, and often pay lower rent and rates than small businesses. For these reasons, the Council is considering stopping providing Discretionary Rate Relief to Charity shops for national charities with their head offices outside of Calderdale .
1. Do you agree that it is fair for the Council to STOP providing Discretionary Rate Relief to Charity shops for charities with their head offices outside of Calderdale?

Registered charities
Registered charities (large and small) already receive mandatory relief of 80%. The Council is proposing that that discretionary rate relief will be awarded in the future on a sliding scale, for up to an extra 20%.  
2. Do you agree that the following options are a fair way for the Council to determine discretionary rate relief applications from registered charities?
       
  a. restrict relief to registered charities that can show their focus is primarily on supporting local causes or residents of Calderdale      
  b. reduce relief by 20% for organisations with an annual income of over £100,000      
  c. reduce DRR by 20% if the organisation has bar facilities which produces over 50% of the overall income      

Unregistered Charities/other non-profit organisation
For unregistered charities and not-for-profit organisations, the council is also proposing to taper all relief.
3. Do you agree that the following options are a fair way for the Council to determine discretionary rate relief applications from unregistered charities and not-for-profit organisations?
       
  a. restrict relief to not for profit organisations that can show their focus is primarily on supporting local causes or residents of Calderdale.      
  b. reduce relief by 20% for organisations with an annual income of over £100,000      
  c. reduce DRR by 20% if the organisation has bar facilities which produces over 50% of the overall income      

Length of award
Most other Councils only award relief one year at a time and many require two years accounts with the application to enable better monitoring and quicker response to changes to an organisation’s circumstances.  We are proposing to limit the award from three years to two years and requesting 2 years of accounts.
4. Do you agree with proposal to limit the award to 2 years with requirement for 2 years of accounts?

Further ideas or comments
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