LANGUAGE schools in Oxford are in 'imminent danger' of closing if the city council does not help them with coronavirus relief, according to a school leader.

Peter Thompson, director of Oxford School of English, appealed to Oxford City Council at its meeting on Monday, July 20, to be allowed to stop paying business rates over the current financial year.

Mr Thompson argued that his company, and others like it in Oxford, should be allowed access to a business rates relief discount of 100 per cent which has been extended to many businesses during the coronavirus pandemic.

He said: "Without that help, we and other schools are in imminent danger of failure."

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The government's expanded retail relief scheme is open to businesses in the tourism and retail sector and allows them to go a year without paying business rates, a local tax on companies.

Though the guidance on who is eligible for the relief said it should be aimed at shops, accommodation, and tourism companies which have had to close during lockdown, the Government said this list was not exhaustive.

Oxford Mail:

Are language schools tourism businesses? Picture: Oxford Mail

At the virtual meeting, Mr Thompson argued that his school and others like it are primarily tourism businesses.

He said: "It must be evident to all Oxford residents that the prime reason for the majority of students attending courses at English language schools is not to study English, but to engage in a form of tourism."

He added: "These young people are here to experience British life, to participate in British customs, and to live with British people. Most are here for just two or three weeks, but it can be as little as five days. They are, very evidently, tourists."

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According to the school leader, approximately 200 people are employed by English language schools in Oxford.

His own school employs 70 of these and contributes £3m to the local economy each year.

Mr Thompson also pointed out that while Oxford City Council had not allowed English language schools to stop paying business rates, 17 other councils had, including Brighton City Council.

The council's deputy leader and cabinet member for finance, Ed Turner, said he would speak to officers about whether the actions of other councils would change Oxford's policy.

Oxford Mail:

Lib Dem councillor Andrew Gant

Lib Dem opposition leader Andrew Gant also asked why the council had interpreted the Government guidance differently from other councils.

In a written reply, Mr Turner said: It is a matter for each authority to decide and to be accountable for under their discretion.

"There are equally councils, including others locally that have not awarded the discount in line with their own interpretation of the guidance.

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"If the council made payments erroneously, these might have to be paid back to government."

It added: "The Council Leader has written to ministers asking them to extend the guidance to cover language schools. Regrettably no response has been received so far to this letter."

The discretionary rate relief allows a council to claim money back from the government that it has lost by allowing a company to stop paying tax.