MORE than 300 West Oxfordshire businesses have been awarded business rates relief by the district council.

West Oxfordshire District Council allocated a total of £257,000 overall, with individual businesses receiving up to £6,300 each.

The scheme is designed to give companies with a rateable value of less than £200,000 discounts on their property.

Last year several firms received increased bills after the national revaluation of business rates conducted by the Valuation Office Agency.

Since then central government has allocated £300m to local authorities for discretionary relief schemes to help small businesses affected by the rates rise.