Small businesses in rural Oxfordshire, which are struggling in the aftermath of the foot and mouth crisis, are set to receive a further boost from the Government.
Businesses with a rateable value of £12,000 or under that can prove they have been hit by the farming crisis will be exempt from paying rates until December 31, thanks to a decision to extend the rate relief scheme.
Under the scheme, the Government will continue to contribute 95 per cent of the cost of rate relief while district councils in Oxfordshire will make up the remaining five per cent.
Cllr Nick Hards, the cabinet member responsible for finance at South Oxfordshire District Council, explained that its contribution to the rate relief initiative will come from a budget set aside for national non-domestic rates relief.
Cllr Hards said the council received applications for rate relief from 12 businesses for extended rate relief and these will be considered by officers.
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