Chris Loder MP has lobbied the Chancellor of the Exchequer, Jeremy Hunt for additional funding in his West Dorset constituency. At a meeting on the 6th September with fellow representatives in Dorset, the local MP took the opportunity to highlight issues with the Revenue Support Grant, second home ownership, small business rates, and police funding. Mr Loder said:
“I have outlined to the Chancellor how West Dorset deserves greater attention from HM Treasury, particularly in relation to the challenges we face with taxation policy. This is especially the case with the Revenue Support Grant, which continues to favour urban areas over rural ones. The formula urgently needs reform, as it means that Dorset Council is forced to derive a greater percentage of its funding revenue from unacceptably high Council Tax rates.”
“I’ve also raised with the Chancellor the issue of second home ownership, which is unfairly preventing locally-born residents from getting onto the property ladder. The proposal to introduce a second-homes tax goes some way towards addressing this issue by penalising absentee landlords who exploit tax loopholes on holiday lets.”
Mr Loder also spoke with the Chancellor about the need for better small business rates relief. The MP continued: “97% of businesses in West Dorset are either small or medium sized and I have told the Chancellor of my view that our local businesses deserve more support. This includes more representative rate relief, especially for those businesses located in rural areas with a population below 3,000.”
