In this latest column for the Weston and North Somerset Echo, North Somerset Council’s Economic Development Team gives an update on the progress of its economic growth strategy.

To help deliver economic growth the Development Management team at North Somerset Council are putting into place new ways of working to make the planning system quicker and more efficient.

The Local Economic Development Protocol was launched in September 2011 following consultation with commercial agents and developers.The Protocol supports the timely delivery of development proposals that will have significant local economic benefits.

Examples of schemes which have already been through the Protocol process include Weston Gateway Business Park and Leisuredome.

Launch of new scheme

In addition to the Protocol, the Development Management team has recently launched a new Accredited Agent Scheme. The scheme involves agents agreeing to abide by a code of conduct.

In return, the council list the details of all accredited agents on their website, gives agents the Accredited Agent Scheme logo for use in their marketing material and provides briefing sessions to help agents to keep up to date with planning application requirements.

The aim of our Accredited Agent Scheme is to foster good working relations between the council and planning agents. The result is efficiencies for the applicants and the council by reducing delays at the registration stage and reducing the number of unsuccessful applications and appeals.

Full details of the scheme and how to become an accredited agent are available on the council’s website at http://www.n-somerset.gov.uk/Environment/planning/accreditedplanningagentscheme.

Marketing initiative

The Economic Development Service (part of the Development Management team) has also developed a Marketing Initiatives List. This is being used in marketing meetings with landowners, developers of employment schemes and commercial agents to guide discussions about the proactive marketing and promotion of employment sites coming forward in the area.

For further details of the Accredited Agent Scheme please contact Jason Beale (Performance and Customer Service Manager) on 01934 426702 or by emailing Jason.beale@n-somerset.co.uk.

For further details of the Local Economic Protocol or the Marketing Initiatives List please contact Jane Vivian (Senior Economic Development Officer) on 01934 426907 or jane.vivian@n-somerset.gov.uk

Marcus Plaw

New planning initiatives could give tourism in North Somerset a much needed shot in the arm, according to property consultants Colliers International.

Planning specialist Marcus Plaw said the National Planning Policy Framework plus the recently adopted North Somerset Core Strategy could deliver positive results for businesses involved in the region’s tourist trade.

He said: “The NPPF advises local planning authorities to back sustainable tourism and leisure developments in appropriate locations – and where needs are not met by existing facilities.

“At local level, North Somerset Council’s new planning policy for tourism supports the principle of new, improved and replacement visitor and tourist facilities and accommodation right across the district.

“Businesses and groups should embrace this and engage with the local planning authority in presenting their ideas and opportunities for building upon existing attractions and delivering new facilities.”

He went on: “North Somerset has some sensational countryside and heritage attractions and places of interest that are not just accessible by car. And not all are in the district’s main towns.”

Marcus Plaw urged businesses and groups to present their ideas and opportunities for building on existing attractions and delivering new facilities to the council.

He said: “It will still be important to demonstrate the proposals support the local and wider economy, do not adversely affect the environment and are sustainable.

“Where improvements are planned, it is important to engage with the council’s planning department with an understanding of what the new proposals will achieve locally and how they fit into the council’s wider tourism strategy.”

Colliers International has worked with a number of landowners and developers to help them amend planning permissions, sell off parcels of land or find partners with whom they can take forward developments.

In their latest column for the Echo, North Somerset Council’s Economic Development team get to the bottom of business rates.

National Non-Domestic Rates (NNDR), or Business Rates, is a property based national tax charged against all occupied, and some empty property. The local authority is responsible for the calculation and collection of rates.

Each local council pays the rates to the government which are added into a central pool and then redistributed back to local councils depending on the number of local taxpayers in its area. This funding helps to pay towards the cost of local council services.

How are Business Rates Calculated?

Each non-domestic property is awarded a rateable value by the Valuation Office Agency (VOA). This value broadly represents the open market rental value, and will include considerations such as the property’s size, location, and use. Rates are normally assessed by the VOA using rental value evidence. However, where there is no rental evidence available, alternative methods can be used, such as receipts. The VOA conducts a revaluation of all non-domestic property every 5 years. Rates are currently being charged against the 2010 List values (applicable between 1 April 2010 – 31 March 2015).

The local council calculates rates by multiplying the rateable value by a nationally set multiplier (or pence in the pound). The current multipliers for 2011/12 are 43.3p (or 42.6p for properties in receipt of small business relief). The Government has announced that the provisional multipliers for 2012/13 will be 45.8p, or 45.0p for all small business property below £18,000 rateable value.

Further details on rateable values can be found on the VOA website www.voa.gov.uk

What happens if a property is empty?

If a property becomes completely empty, an exemption period of 3 months (for non-industrial property), or 6 months (for industrial property) is applicable. After this date, the full empty rate becomes payable. A continuous exemption applies; however, if a property:
• has a rateable value under £2,600;
• is a listed building; or
• was owned by a charity (and was likely to be in charitable use when next in use).

The time limited exemptions (3 or 6 months) only apply from the date that a property first becomes empty. The exemption period does not restart for a new owner.

Are there any other reductions available?

If your property has a rateable value of under £18,000 small business relief may apply. A ratepayer would normally be entitled to relief if the property is the sole business premises, or if any additional premises are either empty or had a rateable value of under £2,600.

The Government has recently announced that the extension to the small business relief scheme will continue to 31 March 2013. This means that a qualifying property with a rateable value of up to £6,000 would currently receive 100% relief.

Small business relief can be considered, upon application, by North Somerset Council.

Charitable Organisations who occupy non-domestic premises can be entitled to 80% mandatory relief. If an organisation is not considered charitable, but is non-profit making, the local authority can consider awarding discretionary relief. Discretionary relief would normally also be subject to council guidelines, as any award is partially funded by the council. All enquiries or applications for either mandatory or discretionary relief should be directed to North Somerset Council.

Want to know more?

Contact North Somerset Council on:-

E-mail: n-somersetnndr@liberata.com

Telephone: 01934 888143

Address: PO Box 76, Town Hall, Weston-Super-Mare, BS23 1YY

Website: www.n-somerset.gov.uk

Starting or growing a business can be daunting, especially in uncertain economic times. However, the North Somerset economy has weathered the recent economic downturn better than many other areas, due to its broad economic base of over 8,500 small and medium enterprises (SME’s) and around 70 major employers (employing over 100 people or above). Unlike other local economies, North Somerset does not have an over reliance on any particular sector, which has proven to be a key advantage during and post the recession.

Although we remain in difficult economic times, with much talk of a slow economic recovery and fragile business confidence, North Somerset has seen a steady number of new businesses starting up. The Economic Development Service at North Somerset Council (NSC) and North Somerset Enterprise Agency (NSEA) work closely together to deliver a package of business support to help meet the needs of both new and growing businesses, with tailored programmes to help businesses start, survive and develop.

NSEA has over 20 years experience in helping business owners with every aspect of running their businesses. Angela Hicks, the agency’s Chief Executive, often sees businesses approach them when their problems have been ongoing for some time, which can make them more complex to overcome. The NSEA is there to help businesses avoid or minimise the problems they face, as well as develop and grow. NSEA offers businesses and budding entrepreneurs many types of support including:

• Free advice, coaching and mentoring
• Low-cost practical seminars
• Solutions to business problems
• Information about sources of business finance and
• Networking opportunities.

In addition to the support and advice available from NSEA, the Economic Development Service is dedicated to promoting economic growth in North Somerset through supporting local businesses, raising the profile of the area and encouraging inward investment. Services provided include:

• Assistance in locating land/premises
• Statistics and economic data on the local area
• Information on new commercial development opportunities
• Links to key departments within NSC as well as external agencies and networks
• Advice/assistance for new business start-ups (in partnership with NSEA)
• Employment support and
• Maintaining the business focused website www.innorthsomerset.co.uk

If you would like to know more about the business support available in North Somerset, please contact either:

1) The Economic Development Service (Simon Gregory or Jane Vivian) on 01934 426 266, business@n-somerset.gov.uk  or visit www.innorthsomerset.co.uk  or

2) NSEA on: 01934 418 118, info.weston@businesswest.co.uk or visit www.northsomersetenterpriseagency.co.uk

James Edwards of Colliers International

More than five thousand homes across the West are standing empty while pressure mounts on local authorities to locate suitable sites for new development.

Now property specialists Colliers International has welcomed moves by councils, including North Somerset, across the region to ensure redundant sites including empty homes are fully utilised before further green field sites are swallowed up for development.

James Edwards, a planning specialist with Colliers International’s Bristol office welcomed the West of England Property Initiative – run jointly between North Somerset, Bristol City South Gloucestershire and Bath and North East Somerset Councils.

He said: “The initiative aims to get more empty private housing back into general supply on the open market by providing a base for advertising empty properties to prospective sellers, purchasers and tenants whilst also providing advice on buying, selling and renting out such properties.”

Across the country as a whole there are one million empty homes set against a perceived housing requirement of 100,000 new homes required per year. Locally, there are 5,000 empty homes across the initiative area with 1,500 in Bristol alone.

The initiative also serves commercial premises and land.

James said: “There is an ever increasing demand for housing and local authorities are being challenged to find suitable land to provide thousands of new houses.

“Although the level of empty houses in any one area may not fully meet a perceived housing shortfall for the area it will go some way to addressing it – which will help relieve pressure on previously undeveloped land on the edges of our cities, towns and villages.”

He said it was madness to leave properties empty only to have to build a new one somewhere else – consuming valuable open space and further raw materials.

He said: “A fundamental problem historically has been the lack of collaborative thinking, which has meant that there has not been a centralised service for identifying and promoting empty homes.

“The West of England Property Initiative and its associated website: www.no-use-emptywest.co.uk, provides this essential facility and gives all interested parties all the information required to reintegrate these properties into the main supply chain,” concludes James.