Aberdeen business rates relief plan rejected

Derek Mackay rejected the call

Finance Secretary Derek Mackay has rejected calls by Aberdeen City Council to match-fund a business rates relief scheme.

The authority was offering £3m to help local firms struggling with a rise in their payments.

However, it was conditional on the Scottish government committed to spending the same amount.

Mr Mackay said an extra £7.5m had already been committed to companies in the city.

Why are business rates causing concern?

Business rates - what do they pay?

Rateable values are changing for the first time since 2010 after a national revaluation by The Scottish Assessors' Association.

Businesses in the north east have complained that they are being hit particularly hard because the valuations predated the slump in the price of oil which had an impact on the local economy.