The nuclear industry is due a refund of over £30million after winning a business rates appeal.
The Nuclear Decommissioning Authority (NDA) and Sellafield Ltd lodged an appeal in 2013 to the Valuations Office Agency (VOA) that it should pay lower rates to Copeland Council.
The VOA has now ruled in favour of the NDA/Sellafield Ltd, and the reduced rate (from around £30m a year to £25m) is backdated to 2010.
Although Copeland Council collects the business rates from all firms in the borough, this money is then transferred to central government to be distributed nationally. Forty per cent of the nuclear refund (£12.6m) is now due from Copeland Council, 50 per cent (£15.75m) from central government, and 10 per cent (£3.1m) from Cumbria County Council. Talks are ongoing as to how this money will be repaid.
Fiona Rooney, Copeland's interim director of commercial/corporate resources, said: “We have prudently set aside the money in case the appeal was successful."
A spokesman for the NDA/Sellafield Ltd said: “It is important we reach a position that is acceptable to both the council and ourselves. We all have to ensure we work together towards implementing the correct rating assessment for the site."
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