Mcinnes reveals 360 businesses have been waiting 5 years for rates appeal result (North East and Central Fife Liberal Democrats)

North East and Central Fife Liberal Democrats <hq@necflibdems.org.uk>

Mcinnes reveals 360 businesses have been waiting 5 years for rates appeal result

December 2, 2010 5:53 PM
Originally published by Scottish Liberal Democrats

Liberal Democrat Local Government spokesperson Alison McInnes has revealed that 360 businesses are still waiting to hear if their appeals from 2005 about business rates are successful.

Liberal Democrat Freedom of Information responses also show that the number of businesses appealing the 2010 revaluation has soared across the country.

Commenting, Mrs McInnes said:

"Appealing business rates bill is a long and bureaucratic process. Our Freedom of Information research shows that over 100 businesses in Aberdeenshire and over 80 in the Highlands who appealed their rates bills in 2005 are still waiting for an answer.

"Indeed, across Scotland, 360 businesses are still waiting for the appeals to be resolved. There's clearly a backlog of applications, which has to be bad news for those businesses who have appealed this year's rates revaluation.

"Our research shows a soaring number of businesses have appealed the new round of revelation. The backlog and wait will only get worse.

"Some businesses are paying significantly more in their rates tax bills under the SNP, so I'm really not surprised at the soaring numbers of businesses appealing their rates tax bill.

"Liberal Democrats were the first to raise concerns in the Scottish Parliament about the lack of transitional support for business. Our research today absolutely justifies our campaigns."