EVESHAM’S MP Peter Luff enjoyed good news after the Government announced a decision to adopt his automatic small business rate policy. Eric Pickles, the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, confirmed that the forthcoming Localism Bill would include provisions to allow councils to apply the relief automatically. Mr Luff said: “Only around half of small businesses know about rate relief and apply for it. Every year millions of pounds calculated and ear-marked by the Treasury for eligible businesses go unclaimed.”