Companies operating in ports along both banks of the Humber have been hit with business rate demands backdated to April 1, 2005. Collectively, the bills for Hull firms alone run to nearly £20 million.  This situation is threatening to put some of these companies out of business and cause the loss of thousands of jobs in the region. The charges are being implemented nationally, and some estimates put potential job losses around the UK as high as 150,000. 

Gordon Brown met with regional MPs at Westminster today (Wednesday), to discuss how the issue surrounding the fees could be resolved.
Port operators have traditionally paid a rent to landlord Associated British Ports (ABP), which then paid a sum to the Treasury to cover business rates, but in 2003, the Government decided to change to a direct levy on firms, based on the size of their premises.The Valuation Office Agency has taken so long to evaluate ABP land, companies on the docks have been hit by demands for business rates backdated to 2005.On Monday next week the lib dem leader of NELC, Cllr Andrew De Freitas will be travelling to London as a part of a regional delegation to meet John Healey, the Minister of State for the Department of Communities and Local Government to discuss the issue.