Capital’s boroughs back committee’s 'dismay' at Governments SBR plans 

London Councils backs a select committee's accusation that the Government has unreasonably disallowed London boroughs the right to initiate a supplementary business rate.

The attack was made in the Communities and Local Government's select committee's response to the Governments' dismissal of its recommendations, made in October last year.

Yesterday, the committee criticised the Government for refusing the rights of London boroughs to levy a proportion of the SBR to pay for economic improvement projects such as skills training and new tube stations in their own area.

In giving all SBR levying powers to the Greater London Authority the report said the Government is hobbling local authorities' ability to make "a meaningful contribution to the economic development of their area."