With public consultation on proposals to disclose more information about business rate valuations well underway, Staffordshire Chambers of Commerce met with the Valuation Office Agency (VOA) to discuss the issues.
Business leaders are being urged to make their views known about the proposals for information-sharing before the consultation process ends on 7 June.
The VOA wants business leaders to tell them:
- What extra information it should share about business rates valuations
- What they need to judge if their valuation is fair
- What they consider sensitive data
Staffordshire Chambers of Commerce were glad to take the opportunity of having a face-to-face stakeholder meeting with the Agency.
Declan Riddell, Policy Adviser, pictured above, said: “We discussed various issues relating to the consultation including concerns about sharing sensitive data and what would be helpful for business ratepayers to be able to understand their business rates valuation.”
The government has committed to greater transparency following requests by stakeholders for more information to understand their rating valuation so they can make more informed decisions about whether to challenge their business rates valuation.
The public consultation will help ministers decide how to proceed and will ensure any decisions made are informed by the input and views of a broad range of people.
The VOA is seeking a cross-section of opinions from across the retail, office, workshop and industrial property sectors, to specifically discuss the disclosure proposal and hear all views and any concerns.
For more details of the consultation exercise and to complete the online survey, click here.
