Somerset Local Ratepayers Forum

Held: 11 April 2002

Present at the meeting were representatives from the following organisations:
Somerset Chamber of Commerce
Severnside IRRV Association
Boots plc - National Properties Group
Mendip Association of Chambers of Commerce
West of England Licensed Traders Assoc
Yeovil Chamber of Commerce
Taunton Chamber of Commerce
Bridgwater Town Centre Manager
Action with Communities in Rural England
South West Group Customer Services Manager (VOA

Apologies for Absence:
Country Land & Business Association
Boots plc Bridgewater
Professional Liaison Group
Taunton Town Centre Partnership
Federation of Small Businesses

Minutes of previous meeting
The minutes of the previous meeting held on 7 February 2002 were approved with no matters arising

There have been some changes affecting the making of Rating Appeals in England.

The main changes are:

1. The time limit for the making of appeals against an alteration of the Rating List is extended from six months to 1 April 2005 or six months from the alteration (whichever is the later).
2. The backdating of alterations to correct clerical errors.
3. The backdating of alterations resulting from appeals made between 1 April 2002 and 30 June 2002 against alterations made by the Valuation Officer before 1 April 2002, subject to a 1 April 2001 limit as the effective date.
4. Specific provision that the effective date applied to properties which were divided, merged or reconstituted to form a different rateable property prior to 1 April 2000, shall be 1 April 2000.

Revaluation 2005

• With the next revaluation of business property due to take effect on 1 April 2005 based upon rents passing as at 1 April 2003 (now less than 12 months away) the VOA were beginning to move up a gear in their preparations to value in excess of 114,000 business properties throughout Cornwall, Devon, Dorset and Somerset (18000+).

• The Agency was working to a timetable, which would see Rent Returns (which were currently being piloted in Somerset) issued across the Country from 2 January 2003 onwards. During 2003 information drawn from the Rent Returns would be analysed and translated into scales of valuation for different types of property.

• All properties would be valued by 31 May 2004, following which work would be undertaken ready for the issue of summary valuations (subject to funding being available), examples of which had been presented to the forum at the previous meeting in October 2004.

• It was anticipated that DTLR would make known the provisional multiplier and details of provisional TR schemes on 30 June 2004.

• The draft rating list would be produced on 30 September 2004 with the final or 'compiled' Rating List published on 1 April 2005.

• The Forum would be kept up to date with developments and outcomes as progress was made.

• The VOA gave a presentation explaining how Rent Returns (the new edition of which was being piloted in Somerset) and the information they provided were integral to the preparation of a revaluation and that timeliness of provision and accuracy of content were vital in helping the VOA to determine levels of value.

• Using actual examples drawn from an industrial estate, it was demonstrated how the detail extracted from rent returns was 'adjusted' to convert the rental terms and conditions into the defined requirement for rents to be expressed in terms of rateable value.

• The forum questioned the application's provision across the spectrum of property types, and differences of approach to arrive at rateable values for certain types of property were explained. The valuation of village halls in the context of their unique circumstances was explored.

• The forum felt that they had benefited from the insight provided.

• The VOA was pleased to report that all Foot and Mouth Rating Appeals covering the South West, within the first category had been cleared as at 30 March 2002.

• The Agency was now required to clear the remainder (circa 5000) mainly agent represented, by 31 March 2003.

• Throughout the South West the VOA had written to the 139 Agents who had made appeals, identifying the properties involved, and suggesting a detailed manner of resolution. Responses to date indicated that agents appreciated the Agency's proactive approach and were prepared to react in an equally positive manner.

• The Forum was advised that the operational practice notes relating to the rating of all types of property were published on the VOA web site (www.voa.gov.uk) under 'publications - our operational instructions'.
  
• These notes explained the manner in which Valuation Officers approached the valuation of a particular type of property.

Date of next meeting

This would be agreed following consultation.

Tel : 01392 - 606903

Fax : 01392 - 606998

Email : David Harrison