Law changed by Audlem resident

Actress Joanna Lumley is in the news at present as she battles to change the law relating to the Gurkhas. She may take encouragement from the success of an Audlem resident who has just achieved a legal change that may help a good number of companies around the country.

Local businesswoman Kate Parkes and her business partner and husband moved into new office premises last year, premises that had been converted from domestic accommodation. Many small businesses benefit from claiming a small business rate rebate, worth up to 50% of their rates payments. Unfortunately, as Kate found, the rebate can't be claimed if your premises were not classed as business premises at the start of the tax year.

Kate wrote to the Government arguing that this was unfair on small businesses like hers. To her very pleasant surprise, she has won the argument and all qualifying small businesses, irrespective of the old 'premises be registered by the start of the year' rule, can now claim the benefit.

The Minister of State for Communities and Local Government, John Healey MP, did confirm to Kate that the rule had been changed for this year. It's good to know that an Audlem resident has succeeded where many fail.

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