RATES TO RISE
Wednesday, 3 February 2010
4.96% hike is lower than expected
BANBRIDGE Council's Policy and Resources Committee has recommended that the domestic rate for 2010/11 should be set at 0.3405 pence in the pound, which equates to an increase of 4.96 percent.
When combined with the unchanged regional rate, the overall increase in the average domestic rates bill will be just under 2.5 percent - less than the rate of inflation and significantly lower than expected.
To illustrate the effect of the increase for the average resident with an annual rate bill of £1,000, the resultant rise in their rate bill for the next financial year will be less than 50 pence per week or £25 for the year.
Council Chairman Elizabeth Ingram welcomed the Committee's recommendation, which was was made at a meeting on Monday of last week.
She said: "While negotiating this year's domestic rate, we were keen to keep the increase as low as possible because many families are suffering extreme financial hardship.
“However, we still need to guarantee enough revenue is available to progress our capital investment programme and deliver real, tangible results to local people before we merge with the councils of Armagh and Craigavon in May 2011."
She added: "Over the past few years, we've been working hard to build a better future for local people and have spent near £10 million on a package of priority projects many of which have resulted in new and improved state-of-the-art facilities and a much enhanced environment and economy.
“Bearing that in mind, we strongly believe local ratepayers are getting a good return on their investment. Nevertheless, we've still much work to do. So I hope local ratepayers look at this marginal rate increase as a sound investment in their future.
“It is recognised that once the councils amalgamate, it will undoubtedly be more difficult to influence decision makers concerned with the much larger Council area."
Chairman of the Policy and Resources Committee, Councillor Junior McCrum, outlined some of the additional cost pressures the Council is under.
He said: "Sustaining the provision of high quality, value for money services and facilities this coming year is all the more difficult because of cost pressures beyond our control.
“These include a reduction in the general grant by £1m, increased landfill taxes, higher waste management and recycling targets, pension costs set at a regional level and fuel and energy cost increases for the running of facilities and the delivery of services.
“On top of this, the Council is liable for the transition costs of local government re-organisation. However, we've scrutinised our expenditure across all services and introduced savings in many areas."
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