SNP Welcome Small Business Bonus For Falkirk District

Falkirk Council SNP Group’s Economic Development Spokesperson, Councillor Angus MacDonald has welcomed the release of new figures from the Scottish Government which show that a total of 3,503 small businesses in Falkirk District will benefit from reduced and abolished business rates over the next three years.

Councillor MacDonald announced the figures at last week’s Full Council meeting, hailing the announcement as ‘excellent news for the small business community.”

The figures followed publication of the Scottish Budget by SNP Finance Minister John Swinney, which announced that by 2010 business rates would be cut by 100% for small businesses with a rateable value of up to £8,000, 50% for businesses with a rateable value of between £8,001 and £10,000, and 25% for businesses with a rateable value of between £10,001 and £15,000.

The Small Business Bonus Scheme will be administered by Falkirk Council from 1 April 2008. It is designed to progressively reduce the rates burden for businesses with properties whose combined rateable value is £15,000 or less.

Welcoming the detailed figures, Cllr Angus MacDonald said:
“The Finance Minister has acted to make Scotland the lowest taxed part of the United Kingdom for thousands of small and medium sized businesses by removing the burden of business rates for many and reducing it for more.

This is excellent news for small to medium sized businesses the length and breadth of Falkirk District, from Banknock in the West to Blackness in the East. The honouring of this major manifesto commitment will help breath new life into businesses locally and is just the start of a new economic approach by the SNP Government, the first long term economic strategy from a Scottish Government. The new approach is based on lower business rates and lighter regulation, coupled with a slimming down and de-cluttering of the enterprise network, simplifying the delivery of business support around……….

innovation and investment on a one-stop basis, particularly through devolving control of Business Gateway to Falkirk Council.

Economic growth is at the heart of the SNP’s policies, which will help to further improve the economy of Falkirk District, boosting competitiveness and creating jobs. The Falkirk area has a large resource of talent and energy and a more prosperous Falkirk District will clearly benefit all sectors of local society.”

Cllr MacDonald continued:
“I truly hope that the new Labour / Tory administration at Falkirk Council will embrace the SNP Government’s ideas and continue the work that the previous SNP-led Council started, with initiatives such as ‘My Future’s in Falkirk’, attracting to date £750 million of inward investment to the area. The SNP’s national policies will ensure that the economy in Falkirk District continues to flourish by increasing sustainable economic growth.