Policy and Consultations:
The Institute’s Policy Work
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The IRRV’s Law and Research department has responsibility for the following policy areas:
- Development of the IRRV’s policy position to further its professional presence and standing. This work is undertaken under the guidance of the Law and Research Portfolio Holder and carried out in relation to all the Institute’s faculties.
- Development of the Institute’s policy in relation to the different legislative frameworks in the UK.
- Ensuring that knowledge gained and information gathered is used to maximum benefit in the furtherance of Institute initiatives and activities, whilst always respecting relevant confidentialities.
- Preserving and expanding links with stakeholder organisations to further the Institute’s policy and research work.
The Law and Research team fosters excellent working relationships with each of the central government administrations across the UK, to enable professional comment to be provided in the development of policies that fall within the remit of the Institute’s faculties.
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IRRV Position Statement
The IRRV Council agreed in February 2024 the following position statement, which forms the reference point for developing policy:
IRRV Position Statement
- Support the decentralisation of power into the hands of local councils when there is an economic rationale to do so, including the provision of greater control over the range and extent of locally-raised levies.
- Recognise that individual local authorities should continue to have the ability to take different approaches to local taxation collection, because they have distinctly different demographics and the choices they make reflect local democratic accountability.
- Relieve the financially most vulnerable from the burden of local taxation. or / Provide adequate levels of funding to local authorities so realistic support can be given to the financially most vulnerable taxpayers.
- Grant enhanced decision-making powers to local authorities for certain Council Tax and Business Rates reliefs and exemptions based on the property or occupation, taking into account the impact on funding systems for the devolved UK nations.
- Influence the UK governments to bring about a modernised, fair, and progressive Property Tax System that meets the requirements of each UK Nation.