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Business Rates - Information Requests

Business Rates - Information Requests 

NNDR Monthly Information

Stroud District Council frequently receives information requests relating to business rate information. Much of this is already reasonably accessible to the public and is exempt from additional disclosure under Section 21 of the FOIA. 

To assist requests of this nature we have provided links to where you may find information of interest. 

The Valuation Office (Find a business rates valuation - GOV.UK) provides the following information for all non-domestic properties.   

Rateable Value, Description, Local council, Local council reference, Rating list, Effective date, List alteration date, Transitional relief certificate issued, Special category code   

The Land Registry (HM Land Registry - GOV.UK) can disclose registered title and ownership information. 

Additionally, following the Tribunal decisions EA/2018/0033 (Westminster) and EA/2018/0055 (Sheffield) we have restricted the information we will provide for non-domestic properties. We will not publish:  

  • Ratepayer names (business and personal)  

  • Ratepayer correspondence addresses and contact details.  

  • Liability dates  

  • Details of exemptions and reliefs.  

  • Rates due and rates paid.  

  • Empty property status or additional information.  

  • Credit/Debit balances.  

  • Amounts written on and written off.  

This information is exempt for the following reasons  

Section 40(2) - Personal data - Information about sole traders and partnerships is exempt from release as they identify individuals, which is personal data. 

Section 31 - prevention of crime – The disclosure of this information would be likely to  

  • Increase the risk of fraud against the Council or businesses  

  • Allow criminals to identify empty or vulnerable premises  

  • Undermine financial controls or expose weaknesses in revenue systems  

Section 41 - information provided in confidence - Some Business Rates information is supplied to the Council with a clear expectation of confidentiality. Such as:  

  • Ratepayer names  

  • Billing/Correspondence addresses  

  • Liability periods  

  • Exemptions and reliefs  

  • Contact information  

This information is provided for the sole purpose of administering statutory billing functions. Disclosure would be an unauthorised release of confidential information and could expose ratepayers to risk. 

While the Council accepts there is public interest in understanding the businesses operating in an area and who are liable for business rates, this is satisfied by the existing information available to the public. The additional information frequently requested does not service a public interest purpose and disclosure would both increase the risk of crime and prejudice the trust and engagement of businesses with the revenue system. It is important that all relevant revenues are collected and protected to support public services.