March 12, 2026
Businesses suffering from road works in Lincoln will be eligible for rates remission.
But it will require the landlords to pass it on.
That was the sticking point for Selwyn District councillors who supported the idea of helping businesses in Lincoln suffering with the main street a construction zone.
Lincoln town centre is in stage one of a major upgrade which aims to make the area safer, greener, and more welcoming.
The council's remission package is only available to businesses directly affected by the stage 1 works, backdated from when the works began in October until its conclusion in September.
The original schedule had the works being completed by July.
To be eligible for the rates relief, a business must demonstrate a decline in turnover.
The rates remission is credited back to the property owner, but in many cases the businesses are tenants.
Cr Aaron McGlincey raised the possibility of paying the businesses directly, but staff said the council only has a legal relationship with the property owners.
The obligation on landowners to pass on the rates remission and support tenants will be clearly stated.
Mayor Lydia Gliddon said there needs to be evidence of the downturn and “that the person that will benefit is the one operating the business”.
“The landlord and the tenant need to work in good faith together because, honestly, you're going to need to give proof.
“That's got to come from the tenant.
“It’s going to be hard because there's a lot to assess in individual cases, and there's a relatively high workload for the team, and assessing all of this as well, but this is the good faith that we need to act in to support our community.
“We need to act in a timely manner for the businesses that are under pressure.”
McGlincey agreed, stating that the council had “no legal obligation but a moral obligation” to support affected businesses.
Cr Tracey Macleod noted the council will likely need to repeat the remission process for the next stages of the town centre redevelopment, which received nods from around the room, while Cr Denise Carrick suggested stages 2 and 3 wouldn’t be as bad for the businesses.
Deputy Mayor Brendan Shefford excluded himself as he has a business and a property on the Gerald Street in Lincoln.
By Jonathan Leask
Businesses suffering from road works in Lincoln will be eligible for rates remission.
But it will require the landlords to pass it on.
That was the sticking point for Selwyn District councillors who supported the idea of helping businesses in Lincoln suffering with the main street a construction zone.
Lincoln town centre is in stage one of a major upgrade which aims to make the area safer, greener, and more welcoming.
The council's remission package is only available to businesses directly affected by the stage 1 works, backdated from when the works began in October until its conclusion in September.
The original schedule had the works being completed by July.
To be eligible for the rates relief, a business must demonstrate a decline in turnover.
The rates remission is credited back to the property owner, but in many cases the businesses are tenants.
Cr Aaron McGlincey raised the possibility of paying the businesses directly, but staff said the council only has a legal relationship with the property owners.
The obligation on landowners to pass on the rates remission and support tenants will be clearly stated.
Mayor Lydia Gliddon said there needs to be evidence of the downturn and “that the person that will benefit is the one operating the business”.
“The landlord and the tenant need to work in good faith together because, honestly, you're going to need to give proof.
“That's got to come from the tenant.
“It’s going to be hard because there's a lot to assess in individual cases, and there's a relatively high workload for the team, and assessing all of this as well, but this is the good faith that we need to act in to support our community.
“We need to act in a timely manner for the businesses that are under pressure.”
McGlincey agreed, stating that the council had “no legal obligation but a moral obligation” to support affected businesses.
Cr Tracey Macleod noted the council will likely need to repeat the remission process for the next stages of the town centre redevelopment, which received nods from around the room, while Cr Denise Carrick suggested stages 2 and 3 wouldn’t be as bad for the businesses.
Deputy Mayor Brendan Shefford excluded himself as he has a business and a property on the Gerald Street in Lincoln.
By Jonathan Leask
