The intention behind occasional use notices (OUNs) is to permit licensed betting operators (with the appropriate permission from the Gambling Commission) to take bets at tracks used for short periods, where the event upon at which the betting is to take place is of a temporary, infrequent nature.

The OUN removes the need for a betting premises licence for the track in these circumstances.

These notices can only be used for eight days or less in a calendar year, and are usually used to allow betting at point-to-point race meetings.

Applications

The OUN must be served by the person who is responsible organising the event on the track or by the owner of the track. The notice must be served on us and copied to the police at the following two addresses:

• Licensing, Wychavon District Council, The Civic Centre, Queen Elizabeth Drive, Pershore, Worcestershire, WR10 1PT
• West Mercia Police, Worcester Police Station, Castle Street, Worcester, WR1 3QX

document Download Occasional Use Notice application form (41 KB)

The OUN must set out the day on which the betting will take place. OUNs may be given in relation to consecutive days, so long as the overall limit of eight days is not exceeded in the calendar year.

Provided that the OUN will not result in betting facilities being available for more than eight days in a calendar year, there can be no objections raised to an OUN.

You do not have to pay a fee when serving an OUN.

Temporary use notices (TUNs) allow a premises to be used for gambling on a temporary basis, where there is no premises licence in place. Premises that might be suitable for a TUN would include hotels, conference centres, and sporting venues.

We can only grant a TUN to a person or company holding a relevant operating licence issued by the Gambling Commission.

The type of gambling allowed under a TUN is restricted to any form of equal chance gaming where those taking part in the gaming are taking part in a competition which is intended to produce a single, overall winner - not by use of a machine.

An example of this might be a poker tournament.

Applications

A TUN must be lodged with us not less than three months and one day before the day on which the gambling event will begin.

The fees we currently charge under the Gambling Act 2005 can be found on our Licensing Fees and Charges page.

Your application and fee should be sent to: Licensing, Wychavon District Council, The Civic Centre, Queen Elizabeth Drive, Pershore, Worcestershire, WR10 1PT

Your application must also be copied to the following addresses:

• The Gambling Commission, Victoria Square House, Victoria Square, Birmingham, B2 4BP
• West Mercia Police, Worcester Police Station, Castle Street, Worcester, WR1 3QX
• H M Revenue & Customs, National Registration Unit (Betting & Gaming), Portcullis House, 21 India Street, Glasgow, G2 4PZ

document Download Temporary Use Notification form (standard) (99 KB)

If the application is in respect of a vessel, please use the form below:

document Download Temporary Use Notice form (Vessel) (108 KB)

It is a legal requirement for the council to have a Gambling Statement of Principles that sets out how we will carry out the duties required under the Gambling Act (2005). We are required, by law to review, consult upon and publish our revised statement every three years.

What the policy is for

The policy relates to the licensing of betting shops, bingo premises, amusement arcades, travelling fairs, etc. It helps to guide decision makers, applicants, objectors and others about the decision making process.

The policy outlines how the council, as the Licensing Authority, considers and determines applications under the Gambling Act 2005. It also sets out how the Authority will work to fulfil the three licensing objectives:

• to prevent gambling from being a source of crime or disorder, being associated with crime or disorder or being used to support crime
• to make sure gambling is conducted in a fair and open way
• to protect children and other vulnerable persons from being harmed or exploited by gambling

The current statement can be inspected here:
Gambling Act 2005 - Statement of Principles

Revaluation

Revaluation 2023 and Transitional Arrangements (2023)

All rateable values are reassessed at a general revaluation. The next revaluation will come into place on 1 April 2023. Revaluations make sure each ratepayer pays their fair contribution and no more, by ensuring that the share of the national rates bill paid by any one ratepayer reflects changes over time in the value of their property relative to others.

A transitional relief scheme limits changes in rate bills as a result of the (2023) revaluation. Under the transitional scheme, limits continue to apply to yearly increases until the full amount is due (rateable value times the appropriate multiplier). The scheme applies only to the bill based on a property at the time of the revaluation. If there are any changes to the property after (2023), transitional arrangements will not normally apply to the part of a bill that relates to any increase in rateable value due to those changes.

Changes to your bill as a result of other reasons (such as changes to the amount of small business rate relief) are not covered by the transitional arrangements. The transitional arrangements are applied automatically and are shown on the front of your bill. Further information about transitional arrangements and other reliefs may be obtained from your local authority or the website www.gov.uk/introduction-to-business-rates. More information on the (2023) revaluation can be found at www.gov.uk/introduction-to-business-rates/revaluation

At the Autumn Statement on 17 November 2022, the government announced a new transitional relief scheme. The scheme for 2023/24 will restrict increases in bills to 5% for business with small properties (up to and including £20,000 rateable value, 15% for rateable values between £20001 up to £100,000 and 30% for rateable values over 1000,000).

Business Rates discounts

If you have exceeded the cash cap limit, no longer wish to claim retail relief or have any queries in regards to this please contact the team by emailing This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or call 03004 560 560.

Retail, Hospitality and Leisure Relief Scheme 2023/24

As per The Autumn Statement on 22 November 2023 the Chancellor announced an extension to the 2023/24 Retail, Hospitality and Leisure Business Rates Relief Scheme providing relief of 75% up to a cash cap limit of £110,000 per business to eligible occupied retail, hospitality and leisure properties in 2024-25.

Read further guidance on this scheme on GOV.UK.

Supporting Small Businesses Relief

At the 2022 Autumn Statement the Chancellor announced that the 2023 Supporting Small Business (SSB) scheme will cap bill increases at £600 per year for any business losing eligibility for some or all Small Business Rate Relief or Rural Rate Relief at the 2023 revaluation. SSB was first introduced at the 2017 revaluation to support ratepayers facing bill increases greater than the Transitional Relief caps due to loss of Small Business Rate Relief or Rural Rate Relief.

For further guidance please visit GOV.UK.

Advice and support

Visit our Business page has more information about other types of support available.

Other types of Business Rates Relief

Your business property may qualify for relief on business rates,  pdf read the Wychavon Guidelines for Awarding Rate Relief (246 KB)  for supplementary information. See the range of reductions available below.

Empty property

Business Rates is not be payable for the first three months that a property is empty. After the 3-month period, rates will be charged at 100% unless the property is exempt e.g. listed buildings, empty properties owned by charities and community amateur sports clubs. Some properties are eligible for extended empty property relief, find out more about exempted buildings and empty buildings relief on GOV.UK.

Partially empty property

If only part of the premises is being used it may be possible to reduce the amount of business rates that are paid.

The relief would stop if:

• the unoccupied part becomes occupied
• the property becomes completely unoccupied  

If you wish to claim or inquire about this relief you should contact us immediately, and we will arrange for one of our Visiting Officers to visit your premises.

View contact information

Small Business Rate Relief

• To qualify your property's rateable value must be less than £15,000
• Your business only uses one property - you may still be able to get relief if you use more 

Qualifying businesses with a rateable value of £12,000 or below currently get 100% relief. This relief will decrease on a sliding scale for rateable values between £12,000 to £15,000. In addition, such businesses will have their bill calculated using the small business rates non-domestic rates multiplier.

Qualifying businesses with a rateable value between £15,001 - £51,000 will have their bill calculated using the small business rates non-domestic rates multiplier.

If you wish to apply, the please complete the online Application for Small Business Rate Relief

Rural Rate Relief

Businesses in a Rural Settlement  could qualify for Mandatory or Discretionary Rural Rate Relief on their Non Domestic Rates bill.

A list of the areas that are designated Rural Settlement list is available on our website or in our contact centres at Pershore, Evesham and Droitwich.  pdf View Rural Settlement list (196 KB)

Mandatory Rural Rate Relief

To qualify for 100% Mandatory Rural Rate Relief, your business premises must:

• be within the boundaries of a qualifying rural settlement.
• have a rateable value of not more than £8,500 in the case of a Post Office, general store or food shop.
• have a rateable value of not more than £12,500 in the case of a public house or petrol filling station.
• be used in whole or in part, as a general store, Post Office or both, or as a public house, food shop or petrol filling station.
• be either the only general store, the only Post Office, the only public house or the only petrol filling station in the rural settlement. 

Complete the online Mandatory Rural Rate Relief form.

Discretionary Rural Rate Relief

We may grant up to 50% relief to any general store, food shop, Post Office, public house or petrol filling station which does not qualify for the Mandatory Rural Rate Relief.

• A business can apply for Discretionary Rural Rate Relief of 50% provided that it:
• is within the boundaries of a qualifying rural settlement.
• has a rateable value of less than £16,500.
• is used for purposes which are of benefit to the local community, and
• is reasonable for us to make such a decision having regard to the interests of persons liable to pay Council Tax set by it.

Complete the online Discretionary Rural Rate Relief form.

Charitable and Discretionary Relief

Registered charities, charitable organisations and Community Amateur Sports Clubs (CASC's) are entitled to relief from rates on any non-domestic property that is wholly or mainly used for charitable purposes.

• Relief is given at 80 per cent of the bill. We have the discretion to give a further 20% relief on the remaining bill depending upon what the premises are used for.
• We also have the discretion to give up to 50% discretionary relief on all or part of any rate bill for property occupied by certain non-profit making organisations for example; sports clubs, societies, village halls and youth associations.

Complete the online Mandatory and Discretionary Relief form.

You can get further information on Rate Relief by visiting the Business Rates page on the GOV.UK website.

Hardship Relief

Businesses may be entitled to a reduction from rates if they are suffering hardship and they can show that the local community would suffer a loss if the business was to close.  

As each case needs to be determined on its merits you should contact us for further information.