Westminster City Council has called for a ‘fundamental reform’ of business rates ahead of what the local authority warns will be a difficult winter.
In a joint open letter to the Conservative candidates, council leader Cllr Adam Hug described business rates as a ‘regressive form of taxation’ and said their reform would protect employment, reduce inflation, and promote growth.
The letter, which was also signed by Michael Lassman, the London regional chair of the Federation of Small Businesses among others, said: ‘At a time when we need to do everything we can to help people, reducing the costs of running a local business would be effective as part of a range of support.
‘Energy prices are influenced by international factors, but the current excessively high level of business rates is entirely in the control of the Government and is being directly fed through to individuals doing their weekly shop.’
