Knight Frank

Summary of Submission

Knight Frank’s Business Rates team offers expert property taxation services across the UK, led by over 25 qualified professionals. Their core services include appeals, strategic advice, empty rates relief, rate management, and council tax advisory - making them one of the few firms providing both business rates and council tax support. The team actively shapes industry policy through involvement with the RSA, RICS, IRRV and the VOA User Group. They work closely with the firm’s agency teams to support its appeal service, resulting in a market-leading 70% appeal success rate.  They provide complex valuation advice across a diverse range of sectors.  They also invest in research and education, providing a free to use Rates Calculator and hosting CPD events.  They lead the market in their approach to ESG and have published research on the connection between ESG and Business Rates. Knight Frank stands out through expertise, integrity, and industry leadership.

Land & Property Services

Summary of Submission

The Missing Capital Value Project brought together the Valuation Improvement and Modernisation Section (IMS) and the Ordnance Survey of Northern Ireland (OSNI) Geospatial Innovation and Integration Team. By leveraging innovations in mapping software, the teams compared the Domestic Valuation List with OSNI’s authoritative ‘Pointer’ address database—a live dataset maintained by LPS in collaboration with local councils and Royal Mail. Through expert analysis and rigorous sampling, the team identified genuine cases of missing valuations, including multiple addresses linked to single properties. The initiative, a model of cross-divisional collaboration, has already identified over £7.4 million in potential annual rating revenue, while promoting a fairer distribution of the rate burden across Northern Ireland.

Attached photograph from left to right

Angela McGrath (Director of Valuation), Nicole McStay (OSNI), Keara McKay (OSNI), Sonia McIntyre (Valuation) Suzanne McLaughlin (Director of Ordnance Survey)

Valuation Office Agency

Summary of Submission

The Valuation Office Agency has created a unique learning programme to develop staff in using geospatial tools, data, and science for property valuation. Over 1,000 staff, including valuers, surveyors, statisticians, data scientists, and customer service teams, took part. With input from different teams, the programme offered a mix of online learning, webinars with experts, short videos, and workshops to suit different needs.

It had three stages: basic introductions to tools, live or recorded demonstrations, and short practical videos with in-person support. Staff could choose what was most useful to them. Webinars from national and international experts have continued to expand knowledge of how geospatial insights can support property valuation.

Feedback was very positive, with high ratings for clarity and usefulness. The training improved accuracy, reduced processing times, and in one case increased efficiency by 50%. Staff now use geospatial tools daily, replacing older systems, and continue to suggest new features.

Wilks Head & Eve

Summary of Submission

WHE are one of the leading providers of public sector service in the United Kingdom.

Across both specialisms the firm currently acts on behalf of approximately 140 Local Authorities.

The service that we provide is specialist and niche across two key elements – Valuation and Rating.

Our core strategy is to provide a personal service to our clients and a commitment to exceeding expectations.

We are proud to deliver best practice advice via a transparent and a user-friendly approach and by generating savings for our clients across several specialised and non-standard asset classes and believe that the service we provide warrants an award for excellence.