LEADING members of a council which counts driving economic vitality among its top priorities are set to consider offering business rates relief to numerous businesses to help boost town centres.

Hambleton District Council’s Cabinet will examine introducing a discretionary rate relief to provide those businesses with a rateable value of less than £51,000 further retail discount equivalent to one third of their bill.

To recognise the pressures facing high streets, the Government announced in the budget in October that businesses eligible for the discount would include shops, restaurants, cafes and pubs.

The Government said it would fully reimburse the council for the cost of any retail discount it offers.

Councillors will also consider the Government’s decision to extend for one-year for 2019/20 the £1,500 business rates discount for office space occupied by local newspapers.

The meeting will also see members consider introducing a discretionary rate relief for new rural mobile infrastructure which would not otherwise be deemed commercially viable.

The business rate relief scheme, which aims to boost phone coverage in a county beset by , will be applied to any new mobile infrastructure meeting the agreed criteria up to a value of £6,000 per annum per mast for a period of seven years to a maximum of £42,000.