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MP Rob Wilson, Brian Eastman of the FSB and Tory hopeful Alok Sharma
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Small firms urged to claim rate relief

By Paul Robins
January 05, 2009

Reading East MP Rob Wilson and Reading West’s Tory prospective Parliamentary candidate Alok Sharma have teamed up to encourage businesses to apply for rate relief.

The Conservative Party duo met up with Brian Eastman, chairman of Reading Federation of Small Businesses (FSB), to call on firms in the town to check if they are eligible for the discounts.

Small businesses are entitled to discounts off their rates if their property has a rateable value of less than £15,000.

The scheme means the smallest businesses could save as much as £1,100 a year, yet figures for the borough show that a large number of traders are missing out.

All three local councils – Reading, Wokingham and West Berkshire – have also backed the campaign which could help smaller firms in the current economic crisis.

Mr Wilson said: “I’m glad that the FSB has joined our campaign to encourage more small businesses to take up this relief and it’s good to see that the local authorities are listening and encouraging businesses in their areas to check if they are eligible.”

Mr Sharma said: “Small businesses are the lifeblood of the local community and it is absolutely vital that everything possible is done to help them get through the tough economic times and preserve local jobs.

“A saving of up to £1,100 a year will make a real difference for small businesses.”

To check if you are eligible visit www.conservatives.com/smallshops.

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Jobs at Risk: I applaud the initiative shown by Conservative MP Rob Wilson and Parliamentary candidate for Reading West Alok Sharma (Reading Post Monday 5th Jan) in their efforts to encourage small/medium enterprises to apply for rate relief. Disturbing information about Brown’s competence at helping small businesses has been exposed as a myth, (Freedom of Information Act) with thousands of jobs at risk. Companies with annual profits below £10K paid no corporation tax. Now, despite the credit crunch, they must pay the small-companies rate of 21%. This means the least profitable companies will face extra tax of £3,483; this is three year’s equivalent to 10 months profits. This prejudices employers’ ability to sustain their businesses and put their employees’ jobs at risk. Firms with profits between £10k and £50K will have to pay £6,194 extra by the end of 2009 because of abolition of the marginal starting rate relief from corporation tax. Close examination of the details of Brown’s much trumpeted help for small business entities is just a mirage. The funds injected into helping small business enterprises (SMEs) only amounts to 0.1%to 1% of what is actually needed. Apparently Brown by burdening businesses with further tax, evidently doesn’t comprehend the mechanisms of business tax accounting and the necessity to maintain good credit lines with banks The electorate can see through Brown’s fraud because job losses are mounting at a truely alarming rate. The situation is critical and desperate with lack of confidence and a failed fiscal stimulus with 280 small businesses closing every week. The situation is absolutely dire, with business closures and real job losses. He must implement the Conservative idea of a Government backed loan guarantee scheme between banks and businesses. If Brown thinks he is doing such a good job, he should call an early Election and let the electorate decide on his so called economic competence.

BGarvie, Reading
28/01/2009 at 05:02

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Small firms urged to claim rate relief

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