Plea to use extra Budget cash to help marts

THE Institute of Auctioneers and Appraisers in Scotland is calling for money allocated to the Scottish Government in the Budget to be offered as assistance to auction marts, as massively increased rates bills begin dropping through their letterboxes.

The institute fears the increases will threaten the future of Scotland's livestock industry. It claims Holyrood has been allocated an extra 20 million this year as a result of spending on business rate relief in England.

The Westminster government reintroduced transitional relief for auction marts in England for the 2010 revaluation, meaning they only have to pay a maximum increase of 12.5 per cent. By comparison, Scotland's marts face an average increase of 52 per cent and are required to pay the full cost immediately, as the Scottish Government decided no transitional relief should apply in Scotland.

David Leggat, whose Stirling Agricultural Centre faces a 52 per cent rates increase, said this meant Scottish marts were operating at a disadvantage at a time when throughput has fallen.