Details of subsidies for rate payers who were facing increased bills due to the amalgamation of council areas have been published by the Finance Minister Simon Hamilton. Among both the domestic and non-domestic ratepayers who will be eligible for the subsidies are those who live in the Newry and Mourne Council area set to be renamed Newry Mourne and Down. The discount will be automatically applied to rate bills and no action is needed from rate payers who are eligible for the subsidy. It will address only the increase in rate bills which is a direct result of the creation of the new larger councils. The scheme will provide an 80 per cent subsidy next year to reduce the district rate element of the bill in those areas that would have increased as a result of the convergence of council areas, in other words the regrouping of rate payers within the new structure. This subsidy will be phased out in stages over the next four years. It will have no bearing on the financing of the new councils who will still act independently next month setting the district rates to cover their spending plans for next year. The Minister said: “Differences have built up in the level of district rates chargeable by the old councils and those that will be chargeable under the new larger councils. As this could result in significant increases for ratepayers in some areas over the next few years, the Executive has committed up to £30m to help ratepayers who have been affected. The importance of this measure is reflected in the Executive’s budget for 2015-16.
Newry Democrat
3rdFebruary 2015
Details of subsidies for rate payers who were facing increased bills due to the amalgamation of council areas have been published by the Finance Minister Simon Hamilton. Among both the domestic and non-domestic ratepayers who will be eligible for the subsidies are those who live in the Newry and Mourne Council area set to be renamed Newry Mourne and Down. The discount will be automatically applied to rate bills and no action is needed from rate payers who are eligible for the subsidy. It will address only the increase in rate bills which is a direct result of the creation of the new larger councils. The scheme will provide an 80 per cent subsidy next year to reduce the district rate element of the bill in those areas that would have increased as a result of the convergence of council areas, in other words the regrouping of rate payers within the new structure. This subsidy will be phased out in stages over the next four years. It will have no bearing on the financing of the new councils who will still act independently next month setting the district rates to cover their spending plans for next year. The Minister said: “Differences have built up in the level of district rates chargeable by the old councils and those that will be chargeable under the new larger councils. As this could result in significant increases for ratepayers in some areas over the next few years, the Executive has committed up to £30m to help ratepayers who have been affected. The importance of this measure is reflected in the Executive’s budget for 2015-16.
Newry Democrat
3rd February 2015
“