Ratepayers in Newry and Mourne face and increase in their annual rates bill of around £27. On Thursday an historic milestone passed when Newry and Mourne and Down District Councils struck its rate for the first time to meet the cost of services it will provide from April 1st this year to March 31st next year – although the new council warned that it like other new councils faced unexpected financial constraints “due to 15 per cent reduction” in many funding streams as a result of “current central government spending cuts”. And due to the convergence of the legacy Councils of Down District Council, Newry and Mourne District Council and an electoral ward of Banbridge District Council (Ballyward), the rate set is not straight forward. On a comparative basis for the two combined Council District Rates the Domestic Rate for 2015/16 will be).3528 pence (2014/15 equivalent 0.3372 pence) which is an increase for the combined Council District rate of 4.62 per cent. The Regional Rate set by the NI Assembly is indicated at a figure of ).4042 pence (0.3987 pence 2014/2015). When the District Rate and Regional Rate are added together on a comparative basis of the two combined councils, the rate of property valued at £100K will be £757 for 2015/16 (£736 for 2014/15) – representing an overall increase of 2.87 per cent. The outworking of this is that the rates increase/ decrease for those living in the legacy areas on a £100k property value means Ballyward (previously Banbridge District will see a decrease in rates payable of £18 Rate Bill 2015/16 of £757) and the Legacy Down District will see an increase on rates payable of £7. The Legacy Newry and Mourne District will see an increase on rates payable of £27 (2015/16). The Designate Presiding Officer, Councillor Charlie Casey said the council was still expected to deliver quality service despite losing almost half a million in DOE Grants. He said: “We are currently in austere times when there has been a reduction in the Rates Support Grant from the DOE between 2014/15 to 2015/16 by £458,350 yet our citizens have high expectations of service delivery by us. We want to minimize the impact on the rates of absorption of new services and make the change as seamless as possible. The challenge is now to deliver on a detailed programme over the next year and to continue to deliver the high quality service our citizens expect and deserve.” Liam Hannaway Chief Executive Designate outline the Council’s eight strategic priorities that can begin in the next 12 months including becoming one of the premier tourism destinations on the island of Ireland, attracted investment and supported the creation of new jobs and a modernized Council providing easy access as well as value for money services. He also said that over the next year the council will deliver a substantial programme of capital developments throughout the Newry Mourne and Down District to the value of £9.3m including Phase 2 of the Newry Leisure Centre, repairs to Camlough Lake and the upgrades of Newry Town Hall.
Newry Democrat
17th February 2015
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