More than £200million in outstanding business rate appeals are still to be dealt with across Renfrewshire and East Renfrewshire, Scottish Government figures show.

Statistics for the period covering January to April this year show the Valuation Joint Board for Renfrewshire, which also takes in East Renfrewshire, has failed to resolve the vast majority of appeal cases lodged following the 2017 revaluation of Business Rates.

In East Renfrewshire, there remains £30m of appeals to be dealt with, while in Renfrewshire the figure is a whopping £186m.

A total of 2,116 businesses across Renfrewshire are still awaiting decisions on their non-domestic rates appeals, with just 34 cases resolved in the first three months of the year.

And, in East Renfrewshire, just two cases were resolved, leaving 561 outstanding.

Eastwood MSP Jackson Carlaw said delayed decisions on business rates appeals are undermining the area’s high streets and small businesses.

He added: “The situation is deteriorating fast, with too many businesses waiting too long for a decision on huge business rates bills, causing uncertainty and cashflow issues.”

The statistics show that, across the country, around £5billion worth of appeals by 68,000 businesses are still outstanding.

Tom Johnston, president of Renfrewshire Chamber of Commerce, said:

“It’s disappointing to see Renfrewshire lagging behind many other regions in Scotland when it comes to the progress of business rates appeals. 

“Businesses deserve to be charged fairly and it is critical that the process of appeals resolution is accelerated to allow this to happen.

“Renfrewshire Chamber of Commerce would urge assessors to increase the pace of progress and we continue to work in partnership with

Scottish Chambers of Commerce to ensure that the Scottish Government delivers a business rates system which is more responsive to business needs.”