Issue - meetings

The Board considered a report of the Strategic Director – Enterprise, Community and Resources, which sought approval for Halton to become part of the Liverpool City Region (LCR) Freeport.  This would include Tax and Customs Sites within the Borough; the administration of the Business Rates Relief and Tax Increment Financing (TIF) opportunities as they arose; and the identification of a series of projects that could be funded through the Business Rates income.

The LCR Freeport Management Board would be submitting a final Business case to Government in April 2022 to establish a LCR Freeport.  If successful, it would be one of eight new Freeports set up by Government.  Three Tax sites were permitted within each Freeport area along with an unlimited number of custom sites.  The LCR Freeport Tax Sites proposed were Parkside in St Helens, Wirral Waters and the 3MG in Halton.  Members were advised that Halton had proposed two customs sites, one at 3MG (Stobart Rail Terminal) and one at the Port of Weston.

If the LCR Freeport bid was approved, the Tax Sites would enable new businesses operating within the sites to access tax measures; these were described in the report.

RESOLVED:  That the Board

1)    approves the Council entering into a Memorandum of Understanding to become part of the LCR Freeport;

2)    gives delegated authority to the Chief Executive, in consultation with the Leader and the Portfolio Holder for Corporate Services, to take all reasonable steps to participate in the LCR Freeport; and

3)    authorises the Operational Director – Finance, to set up the required processes to facilitate the Business Rates and TIF associated with the Freeport operations.