Helen calls for rates reform after business visits

Helen met the owners of Niche Patisserie, Covent Garden Fruit & Veg Shop, Booka Bookshop, and The Oak Furniture Shop this week to discuss the current difficulties they are facing operating on the high street.

Helen was joined by Adele Nightingale from the Oswestry Business Improvement District who works to support local businesses, improve the town centre and boost footfall.

Following the Government’s increase to national insurance contributions and reduction in retail business rates relief, many high street businesses have been hit hard – with one owner Helen spoke to reporting a staggering 120% increase in their costs.

Helen and the Liberal Democrats are calling for a fundamental overhaul of the business rates system which would see it replaced with a Commercial Landowner Levy – taxing only the land value of commercial sites, not productive investment, and therefore reducing the burden on the vast majority of retailers.

Removing buildings, utilities and other physical capital from taxation would boost business investment, in turn increasing productivity and wages.

Since her election, Helen has consistently campaigned to protect local high streets – and launched her ‘Buy Shropshire, Back Britain’ campaign in March.

She has also called on the Leader of the House of Commons, Lucy Powell MP, to ensure the Government holds a debate in Parliament on what can be done to radically reform the business rates system to protect local sellers.

Helen Morgan, Liberal Democrat MP for North Shropshire, said, “The Government could, and should, do much more to help our high streets - and reforming the broken business rates system would be a good place to start.

“We have lots of fantastic small businesses in North Shropshire but, after years of Conservative economic mismanagement, they’ve now been whacked by hikes to business rates and national insurance contributions.

“It’s an extremely difficult environment to succeed in so I will continue to do everything possible to force the Government to see sense and support our local high streets and businesses.”