A new government scheme to allow councils to keep a proportion of any growth in a town's business rates will, for the first time, provide a direct incentive on councils to ensure their high street shops are occupied.

Councils collect business rates, a tax paid on the occupation of a non-domestic property which is set by the government, but until now have not been able to keep any of that money.

Rates are pooled centrally across the country and redistributed according to perceived need through a grant to each council.

Under changes announced by Communities Minister Eric Pickles last July, if a a new business starts trading within the borough, the council will now be eligible to keep 50 per cent of the additional business rates generated. 

But, if businesses cease trading, the grant will now decrease by a similar percentage based on the lost revenue in business rates.

Councils will therefore have a financial incentive to generate and maintain business in town centres. 

However, a spokesman for Epsom and Ewell Council said any increase in business rates would be likely to generate "tens of thousands" over the coming years.

This could be reinvested into boosting business in the town centre if councillors decided this was the best use for it - but the change will not generate a "significant amount of money".

And next year the Government plans to reduce its grant to councils, so and money generated from the scheme may have to be used to try to fill this black hole.

Is Epsom town centre in decline?  Reporter Hardeep Matharu asked retailers in the high street what they think. Click here to find out what people had to say.