Local government minister Marcus Jones has rejected a Labour bid to extend the power to levy business rate supplements to all billing authorities. Dismissing the proposed amendment during a committee stage debate on the Local Government Finance Bill this week, Mr Jones highlighted the 2007 Labour-commissioned Sir Michael Lyons' review of local government finances, which stopped short of recommending extending supplement powers to district councils. 'I do not believe the conditions have changed,' he told the committee. The Labour proposal was later withdrawn.
展开▼
