Commentary on Sections Part 1 – Non-Domestic Rating Section 2 – Local rating lists
4.This section inserts section 41ZA (Local rating lists: Wales) into the Local Government Finance Act 1988 (“the 1988 Act”). Section 41ZA sets out the arrangements for the compilation of local non-domestic rating lists, largely preserving the effect of section 41 of the 1988 Act in relation to Wales. It requires those lists to be compiled every three years (instead of every five years). Therefore, as a local list was last compiled on 1 April 2023, the next list will be compiled on 1 April 2026 (instead of on 1 April 2028).
5.The existing requirements for the valuation officer to prepare proposed and compiled lists are preserved. The billing authority must keep a copy of the proposed and compiled lists electronically. These requirements have been modernised, as a billing authority was previously required to deposit a copy of the list at its principal office.
6.The valuation officer must maintain a list compiled under section 41ZA or compiled on the dates mentioned in section 41ZA(11)(b) of the 1988 Act, for as long as is necessary for the purposes of Part 3 of the 1988 Act. The dates are those on which lists were required to be compiled under section 41 of the 1988 Act (as modified by section 54A). This record of previous revaluation dates ensures clarity about the ongoing requirement to maintain the lists compiled under section 41 of the 1988 Act. No reference is made to local lists compiled on 1 April 1995, as the lists compiled on 1 April 1996 were a rearrangement of the 1995 lists and are treated as being the lists which came into force on 1 April 1995.