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NALC calls to extend business rates reliefs on all public conveniences
The National Association of Local Councils (NALC) welcomes the Non-Domestic Rating (Public Lavatories) Bill, which sees moves to address exempting public conveniences from business rates potentially saving 6,500 toilets from closing. However, NALC would like to see the bill go further and extend business rates reliefs to all public toilets.
At the most recent reading of the bill, this was echoed by Baroness Pinnock who stated that the business rate exemption should include libraries, town halls and market halls. Extending the bill to all public toilets would ensure that in unparished areas, residents would still have full access to well-managed, free toilets.
The bill has been drafted, published and has proceeded past the second reading in the House of Lords. NALC will be working with the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government and peers to ensure that the bill progresses quickly through the Lords Committee stage on 4 September 2019 for early implementation.
Cllr Sue Baxter, chair of NALC, said: "NALC is calling for the bill to be extended to include all public toilets to be exempt from business rates and is urging the House of Lords to pass the bill promptly."