News / Business rates appeal
A NORTH Mainland councillor has called on the local authority to appeal a review of business rates at some of its port areas.
A valuation review for non-domestic rates took place across Scotland last year and Alastair Cooper told Monday’s harbour board meeting in Lerwick that increases should be challenged.
The council has to pay the rates – a property tax paid on non-domestic buildings – on its assets, although there are some reductions and exemptions which can apply.
A report presented at the meeting on the third quarter of 2017/18 said the council had paid out £139,000 more due to increases in rates for its ferry terminals and port areas.
There has been a reduction in rates at Sullom Voe, however, which amounted to the council paying around £69,000 less.
“My understanding is that some of the rateable values in some of our harbour areas have gone up,” Cooper said after the meeting.
“The common practice in the business community is to appeal the rates and see if the rates can be reduced, and you go back to the local valuation office and seek reduction.
“I just asked the question – should we accept these increases, should we be appealing the increase and hopefully get it reduced? We will have to await the outcome.”
Finance chief Jonathan Belford said “there’s always an option” to appeal the rates, and “it’s something we can have a look at”.
The report was moved by members on a condition from Cooper that the rates are challenged.
Meanwhile, members also heard from harbourmaster Greg Maitland that three tankers calling at Sullom Voe in the last four months were found to have an incorrectly rigged pilot ladder.
He said they fell foul of new regulations imposed last year, adding that it was an “industry-wide” problem.
Maitland said he would take the issue forward to a future meeting of a national forum of harbourmasters.
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