Rates change 'to help GPs' - The Malvern Observer

Rates change 'to help GPs'

Malvern Editorial 14th Aug, 2015 Updated: 20th Oct, 2016   0

MILLIONS of pounds of taxpayer’s money looks set to be paid back to GP surgeries in the area after a change to the way business rates are calculated.

Malvern Hills District Council will have to pay £1.2million and £160,000 a year ongoing following the move which has been branded ‘unfair’ by the Tory leadership.

The refund comes after a valuation tribunal ruling earlier this year, which resulted in a change to the way business rates for purpose-built GP surgeries are worked out – meaning in future they will pay significantly less.

This led to a number of GP surgeries making successful appeals to the Valuation Office against the value given to their property in 2005 and 2010.




As a result surgeries in Malvern Hills will receive an estimated £3million refund and £400,000 a year on an ongoing basis from this financial year.

Malvern Hills District Council will have to pay the majority share, which stands at 40 per cent, while Worcestershire County Council and Hereford & Worcester Fire Authority are responsible for the remaining ten per cent.


It is understood the money related to the historic payments will be retained by NHS England and the future funds by local Clinical Commissioning Groups.

However, the district council has sent a letter calling on the Government to ‘urgently’ review the situation as Coun Paul Cumming, portfolio holder for finance, said the decision could put front-line services at risk.

“We know a number of other authorities have been similarly affected and expect the issue to eventually have an impact across the country,” he said.

“We are raising the issue and the unfairness of the situation with MPs, the Local Government Association and district council representative bodies.

“We’re hopeful the Government will listen carefully to our concerns on this matter. I also sincerely hope that any money retained by the NHS will be spent for the benefit of local patients.”

Harriett Baldwin, MP for West Worcestershire, has also vowed to put pressure on the Government as she told The Observer she had written to the communities secretary.

“The change could have a major impact on the council’s budget and I have offered the council my full support on this matter,” she added.

“There is a process allowing the council to secure emergency payments from the Government and I hope that this will be available to Malvern Hills.”

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