Council Services for Business

A number of the regulations that will apply to your business are administered by Gosport Borough Council and it is important to ensure that you comply with their requirements.  Information on the relevant Council services are outlined below:

Business Rates (Non Domestic Rates)

The Council is responsible for collecting business rates in the Gosport area. The amount payable by each business depends on the Rateable Value of your premises and a number of other factors, including exemptions and reliefs e.g. Small Business Rates Relief and Solent Enterprise Zone Rates Relief.

Further information on business rates is available from the Valuation Office Agency and GOV.UK

Building Control

Building Regulations set standards for the design and construction of buildings to ensure the safety and health for people in or around those buildings. They also include requirements to ensure that fuel and power is conserved and facilities are provided for people, including those with disabilities, to access and move around inside buildings.  Building Regulations are a separate requirement to planning permission and in many instances approval under both is required under separate applications.

Building Control Partnership are responsible for controlling the quality of all building work in Gosport. They approve work on commercial as well as domestic properties, whether they are new or existing, to ensure that it meets regulation standards.  Prior to undertaking any work on your business premises you should seek Pre-submission advice which is available free of charge to ascertain whether approval is needed.

Further information on Building Regulations is also available from Local Authority Building Control.

Environmental Health 

The Environmental Health service provides a wide range of support for local businesses and their employees. This includes: health promotion; food hygiene in commercial premises; controlling noise pollution; health and safety enforcement and advice; licensing; and pest control.

To contact a member of the Council’s Commercial Team either call 023 9254 5609 or visit the town hall during office hours or email ehs@gosport.gov.uk.

Starting a Food Related Business?

Gosport Borough Council has a duties to ensure that food is manufactured, prepared and sold in a condition fit for human consumption.  It also investigates cases of suspected food poisoning. To help ensure that your business complies with the related regulations see the food safety and Safer Food Better Business related information on the Council’s website that includes:

  • You must register your premises with Gosport Borough Council’s environmental health service at least 28 days before opening – registration is free.  Registration applies to most types of food business, including catering businesses run from home and mobile or temporary premises, such as stalls and vans. If you have more than one premises, you will need to register all of them.
  • The Council has also adopted the national “Food Hygiene Rating Scheme” – Scores on the Doors – that provides consumers with information about hygiene standards in food premises at the time they are inspected by local food safety officers to check compliance with legal requirements – the food hygiene rating given reflects the inspection findings.

The Government’s Food Standards Agency provides the following advice and support online:

The Environmental Protection Act requires all commercial premises to have proper arrangements in place for the disposal of their waste. The Council does not provide a trade/commercial waste collection service and suitable operators may be found by searching in the Yellow Pages.

There are also trading standards related regulations that need to be complied with including food labelling and packaging.

If you are interested in starting your business as a market pitch Gosport Market operates twice a week on Tuesdays and Saturdays.

Other business related Licensing regulations

For more information and application forms on all licences see the Licensing section of the Council’s website, which includes:

Planning

If your new business requires premises you will need to check that the planning use is appropriate and whether a planning application for change of use is required.  Gosport Council’s Planning Service provides free general information and advice and where possible, a planning officer will be available between 9am and 5pm on Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays in the planning reception area on the 3rd floor of the Town Hall or can be contacted by telephone 023 9254 5461.   Alternatively general enquiries can also be forwarded to planning@gosport.gov.uk.

Further online information is also available on:

Trading Standards

Trading Standards support businesses and the public, with the aim of ensuring that the highest standards of quantity, quality, price, description and safety are maintained.  They provide free guidance to businesses in Hampshire on how to comply with trading standards.

Advice is also available on civil and criminal law; quality assurance; standards; unfair competition; labelling and advertising. Visit the Hampshire County Council website to find out more and access their full range of business advice leaflets. Alternatively you can contact them on 01962 833620 or via tsadvice@hants.gov.uk

Trading Standards’ teams across Hampshire work together in support of the Buy with Confidence scheme. In addition to improving consumer confidence and protection, the aim of the scheme is to help businesses comply with the law.  It is a membership scheme with a cost to join but members can access business advice as well as promotional support.

Stay in touch with us…


Have any questions?
prosperity@gosport.gov.uk

Call us
02392 545 425