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LOCAL GOVERNMENT FINANCE REVIEW COMMITTEE (LGFRC)

MINUTES OF 19th MEETING: 02 FEBRUARY 2006, RADISSON HOTEL, EDINBURGH

Present:

Committee:
Sir Peter Burt, Chairman
Professor John Baillie, Member
Peter Daniels, OBE, Member
Dr Janet Lowe CBE, Member

In Attendance:
Kenneth McKay CBE, Specialist Adviser to the Committee
David Milne, Secretary to the Committee
Stewart Barrie, Assistant Secretary to the Committee



1. Committee Brainstorming Session
1.1 The Committee reviewed the discussions held at its two day brainstorming session held on 19 and 20 January and considered how these should feed into its future work programme.
1.2 The Committee agreed that it was now apposite to revisit its overall work programme, and that the Secretariat should produce a draft critical path to assist the Committee in planning its work for the period to publication of the final report.

2. Public Opinion Research
2.1 The Secretariat confirmed that work following Qualitative and Quantitative Research was at an advanced stage and final reports were nearing completion.

3. Forward Agenda
3.1 The Committee discussed its detailed requirements for modelling the effects of different options and variants for non-business local taxation.
3.2 The Secretariat confirmed that they would seek to commission external contractors to carry out this work.

4. Rating Reform in Northern Ireland
4.1 The Committee discussed aspects of rating reform in Northern Ireland that may be of interest to its own work and noted that an official from the Northern Ireland Office would be attending their next meeting for informal discussions.


Summary of action points:

• Secretariat to draft critical path covering the period to publication of the final report.
• Secretariat to produce Research Specification for modelling the effects of different tax options.
• Secretariat to finalise Quantitative and Qualitative research reports.

Local Government Finance Review Committee
Secretariat
February 2006