FIRMS in West Somerset could be eligible for business rate relief over the next two years.

Somerset West and Taunton Council will be officially replacing West Somerset Council and Taunton Deane Borough Council and, ahead of it formally taking control, proposals have been published to harmonise the amount of rate relief businesses can receive across the new district.

This also takes account of new retail relief measures announced by the Government last autumn.

In a report to the new council’s shadow scrutiny committee in Williton on Monday evening, Dean Emery, the council’s principal revenues and debt recovery officer, said: “We have the discretion to discount business rate bills by one third of the daily chargeable amount in 2019/20 and in 2020/21 for retail premises with a rateable value of £51,000 or less.”

The council intends to continue its policy of providing rent relief to local newspapers based in the two existing districts.

The committee voted unanimously to approve the proposals, which will come before the shadow full council for final approval on February 21.

Types of businesses that could qualify – and those that don’t – are explained in a full report in tomorrow’s Free Press.