THE chairman of the Committee of Constables does not want small businesses to be hit too hard by a pending increase in rates.

St Ouen Constable Ken Vibert said that with a new business rate to be levied for the first time this year, he did not want it to be set at a level that would be punitive to businesses, particularly smaller companies.

‘I personally believe that this is not the time to be hitting business hard,’ he said.

Under the new Rates (Jersey) Law 2005 the amount of rate will differ according to whether a property is assessed as used for ‘domestic purposes’ or for ‘non-domestic purposes’.

Meanwhile, Mr Vibert said that no decision would be made until May as to how much ratepayers will pay to compensate the States for taking over meeting welfare payments and residential care costs across the Island.

These were previously funded by parish rates.

The new rates law came into force at the start of the year, and ratepayers will be receiving their assessment forms within days.