THE district council is due to quiz Valuation Office members over the recent sky-rocketing in business rates.

As reported in the Guardian last year, many traders in the district have been hit by double or even treble the business rates they used to pay.

Some shopkeepers were left wondering if they could carry on after the increase which the Valuation Office has said is necessary because of the historic undervaluing of rates.

Epping Forest District Council's Overview and Scrutiny Committee has now arranged a meeting with valuation officers to ask them to explain themselves.

Committee chairman Cllr Richard Morgan said: “They will hopefully explain the rational behind the recent rises and how they were arrived at. This will also give our councillors a chance to question them about the policy that has caused such concern to our residents.”

The meeting, which is open to the public and will be webcast, will take place on Thursday, January 28, at 7.30pm at the Civic Office, in Epping High Street.