Tuesday, February 18

Tower Hamlets joins fight to halt government business rate hikes


The Mayor of Tower Hamlets has urged local residents and businesses to add their voice to a joint Tower Hamlets Council, East End Trades Guild and Hackney Council petition urging a rethink on the government’s planned hike in business rates.

The local petition, with more than 2,700 signatures, highlights the impact on independent East End businesses and calls on the Government to stop the implementation of new valuations until they have committed to:

● increasing the rates relief for small businesses and introducing a new relief system for medium businesses

● devolving the operation and setting of London’s business rates to London’s government so they better suit the challenges of the Capital.

Mayor of Tower Hamlets, John Biggs said:

“Many small and medium sized businesses have expressed concern about the government’s decision to make huge rises to local business rates. Small businesses are the lifeblood of our local economy and are highly valued by the community.

“Together with Hackney and our local East End Trades Guild, we’re calling on the government to think again. They should postpone any rises until they have introduced a fairer system of relief for small and medium businesses, and give London the power to set its own rates.

“I urge all residents who value independent local business to join me in signing our petition.”

To find out more about the petition, go to:

https://www.change.org/p/theresa-may-mp-protect-businesses-from-the-rates-hike-which-will-tear-the-heart-out-of-our-communities-1596433d-75ec-4e65-b78a-ec2582571f6e

For more information, please contact susan.mulligan@towerhamlets.gov.uk

– Press releasee from Tower hamlets council, Date: 20 February 2017