Support rates relief scheme, Swann urges traders

152 businesses in Ballymoney and 134 in Moyle are using the new scheme to boost the local economy.

In a statement to the Times Mr Robin Swann, the Ulster Unionist Party Assembly member for North Antrim and UUP Chief Whip, urged other traders in the constituency to “take full advantage” of the scheme.

Assemblyman Swann, who is also North Antrim UUP Chairman, issued his call after he asked the Stormont Minister of Finance and Personnel how many shops in each of the North Antrim council areas had taken advantage of the scheme.

Mr Swann said: “In his response, the Minister told me hundreds of shops throughout the constituency had taken advantage of the Small Business Rate Relief.

“This involved 340 in the Ballymena area, 152 in Ballymoney, and 134 in Moyle. In these tough economic times when we are seeing shops closing, it is important that where possible shop owners take up every means of support that is made available.

“With the high number of vacant premises it is concerning to note that no shop owners or landlords have availed of or been able to avail of either “Empty Premisies Relief” or “used the “Shop Window Display” option, and I urge the DUP’d Finance Minister to look at how these schemes can be better promoted and accessed, to support our under pressure shop keepers.

“Likewise, our constituents can also boost the North Antrim economy by shopping local,” said Assemblyman Swann.

* The number of shops that have benefited from any of the various types of non-domestic rates reliefs in the Ballymoney and Moyle Council areas from 1st April 2010, when the Small Business Rate Relief was first introduced, to 30th November 2012 is given below.

A breakdown of the number of shops by the type of relief is given.

Ballymoney Borough Council

Relief Type Number of shops

SBRR - 50% 24

SBRR - 25% 70

SBRR - 20% 59

Shop Window Displays - 0

Empty Premises Relief - 0

Total number of shops receiving one or more relief - 152

Moyle District Council

Relief Type Number of shops

SBRR - 50% 40

SBRR - 25% 67

SBRR - 20% 28

Shop Window Displays - 0

Empty Premises Relief - 0

Total number of shops receiving one or more relief - 134

(Any individual shop may have received more than one type of relief over the course of the last three years.)