THE introduction of a business aspect to parish rates could help fund community events. St Peter Port senior constable Jenny Tasker said the money could be used for things such as the Town Carnival and the Christmas lights.
‘It’s an idea that has been on agendas for a long time but hasn’t got anywhere,’ she said.
Businesses currently pay an occupiers’ rate, which Deputy Tasker said was miniscule, and they no longer pay refuse rates following changes to the law.
The St Peter Port Constables have discussed the idea on more than one occasion. It has also been raised at the Guernsey Douzaine Council, but other parishes had not seemed keen.
‘Various things have been raised at meetings to be put in parochial law and we believe consideration should be given to a business rate,’ she said.
Guernsey Douzaine Council vice-chairman Andrew Sauvarin said some members had thought it was an issue that was more specific to Town.
‘I think they thought that some businesses were already very generous when it came to supporting such events, so to hit them with another tax could lead to less donations and a situation whereby one thing was working against another,’ he said.
Deputy Tasker said it would need to be applied island-wide and that parishes with fewer businesses would tend to have fewer events, so it would be equitable.
‘The majority of companies in Town who are supporting these things at present are the local ones and the national ones give very little,’ said Deputy Tasker.
‘The banks are good, but I’m really talking about retail outlets.’
Chamber of Commerce retail committee chairman Tony Creasey said ring-fencing part of the parish rates to fund community events was a good idea.
‘It’s difficult to keep putting our hands in our pockets for these initiatives and we’ve always thought a more central method of doing it would be better,’ he said.
‘I can only assume that technical obstacles have got in the way.’
Town Centre Partnership executive officer Jack Honeybill, who has been forced to make cuts to this year’s Town Carnival because of a lack of funding, said he would support the idea.
‘Businesses expect things such as the Town Carnival and the Christmas lights in Town and it would be an excellent idea to include a few pennies in the rates to cover it,’ he said. ‘Particularly if you bear in mind that next year, we will be seeing a significant increase in rates anyway.’
Article posted on 3rd May, 2007 - 12.00am
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