Cooke & Arkwright secures £27 million in savings for Welsh local authorities

Daniel Bevan - Editor

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A specialist business rates team at property consultancy Cooke & Arkwright has secured £27 million in savings for local authorities across Wales, following the completion of work linked to the 2017 Non-Domestic Rating List.

The firm said the figure represents the final audited outcome of a programme of work carried out in partnership with 14 councils across Wales, reviewing and challenging business rates assessments across a broad portfolio of public sector properties.

Founded more than 125 years ago, Cooke & Arkwright operates as an independent property consultancy in Wales, providing services across valuation, rating, agency, investment and professional advisory work.

As the 2017 appeals process draws to a close, the consultancy says the full scale of the project can now be reported, highlighting the financial impact achieved for the public sector across the full rating cycle.

Through a programme of targeted appeals, valuation checks and specialist rating advice, the Business Rates team worked with councils to ensure that public bodies were paying what it describes as fair and accurate levels of business rates.

The work comes at a time when local authorities across Wales continue to face sustained financial pressures, with councils seeking to maximise the value of public funds while maintaining essential services.

Jane Shankland, Director in the Rating team at Cooke & Arkwright said: “Our work with local authorities across Wales during the 2017 Rating List has delivered real, measurable value.

“At a time of significant budget pressures, securing £27 million in savings has helped councils retain more of their income and redirect those resources into essential local services.

“This outcome reflects both the strength of our partnership approach and the deep technical expertise within our Business Rates team.”

According to the consultancy, the savings were achieved across a diverse range of local authority assets, including schools, leisure centres, libraries, industrial facilities and civic buildings.

By reviewing property valuations and identifying potential inaccuracies in assessments, the firm said it was able to pursue amendments that ensured councils achieved more favourable outcomes during the rating cycle.

Specialist advisers often work with organisations to review valuations and submit appeals where assessments are believed to be inaccurate, a process that can lead to significant savings over the lifespan of a rating list.