BPF empty property campaign award

The British Property Federation’s campaign against empty property rates won ‘Private Sector Public Affairs Campaign of the Year’ at the Public Affairs News Awards, held last night in London.

The campaign against the cut in business rate relief for vacant commercial space began cautiously in April 2007 before bursting into a huge public row that saw the BPF unite together hundreds of companies, MPs, public sector bodies and councils.

A concession achieved in last year’s pre-Budget report handed back some of the tax to the owners of small properties. Although the BPF has criticised government spin surround the so-called ‘holiday’ from empty rates, the campaign has been the most high profile lobbying campaign ever run by the industry.

As well as generating an unprecedented level of media coverage, the BPF also set up a hotline for those affected which in itself proved vital in fuelling the campaign and disseminating stories. This was followed with an online resource at emptyrates.com and a Number 10 e-petition signed by over 5,000 people. Over 125 MPs backed the BPF’s campaign.

The Public Affairs News Awards were taking place for the fifth time and attracted more than 300 revellers to the Brewery in the City of London. Daisy McAndrew of ITV News presented the ceremony.

In a typically ironic twist, ‘Politician of the Year’ was given to Lord Mandelson who had famously declared empty rates were ‘good for business’. The business secretary had been at odds with chief whip Nick Brown, also minister for the North East. A Cabinet split - fashioned by the BPF’s press office - hit the headlines last autumn as their views were pitched side by side in the Telegraph, Times and FT as well the BBC, causing embarrassment for the government.