A North Staffordshire council is urging the Government to take immediate action to help small businesses facing mounting economic pressures.
Newcastle-under-Lyme Borough Council says national interventions on tax and business rates are urgently needed to ensure independent retailers, hospitality businesses and high street traders can survive and thrive.
A formal motion was passed during a meeting last week to write to Chancellor Rachel Reeves urging her to act now to support small businesses in the borough and nationally.
The council will request that the Chancellor extends business rate relief currently in place for pubs to all hospitality and high street businesses. Members also want a review of those business rates to permanently reduce taxation to support economic growth whilst ensuring that income for councils to fund vital services is not reduced.
The borough council is delivering regeneration schemes across Newcastle and Kidsgrove with more than £50 million secured in 2020 through the Government’s Town Deal and Future High Streets Fund and boosted recently by an £80 million investment from the council itself.
Last week, regeneration plans for Newcastle’s town centre took a major step forward following the award of an £18.94 million infrastructure funding package by Homes England.
The investment will support the council’s ‘once-in-a-generation’ regeneration programme, which will transform Ryecroft, Astley Place and the former Midway car park site. It is the final part of the public-private financial package put together by partners to underpin the work. Together, the developments will deliver 328 new homes alongside retail, business and leisure space.
Council leader Simon Tagg said: “Our high streets and town centres are vital community hubs, and our small businesses are central to their success. We are delivering once‑in‑a‑lifetime regeneration to create the right conditions for businesses to grow, but they continue to shoulder the burden of rising national taxes and business rates.
“We’re now calling on the Government to act — with the support of our local MPs — to introduce fairer business rates, extend relief for hospitality and retail, and create a level playing field so that our small businesses can remain competitive and continue to serve communities across the borough.”
