RATES

Lowest Rate In 6 Years

For the sixth year in a row, the Council's rate increase has fallen and, with a rise of just 3.49% (0.2493p in the £), it is also one of the lowest increases in Northern Ireland.

2008/09 saw no let up in the pressure caused by external factors, from cost of living increases and the rise in landfill tax to a loss of government funding. Together, they meant the Council faced additional costs of more than £1.5 Million for the new financial year.

Constantly monitoring and reviewing its expenditure, examining how money is spent and seeking to optimise value for that money, has, however, led to efficiency savings of over 3% in this and previous years, helping to ensure that the rate increase could be minimised.

As ever, the Council was at pains to keep any rise in the rate to the absolute minimum while still providing quality, value-for-money services and facilities for local people.

Indeed, a look at the Council's record over the last six years demonstrates that, despite the many adverse factors which we have had to address, we have nonetheless lowered the percentage increase in the rate year on year. The same is true for the coming financial year when the increase is also below the published rate of inflation (RPI).

How our net budget of £16.7 Million will be spent in the coming financial year is illustrated below:

Recreation & Sport: £3,734,000 (21.8%)

Culture & Heritage: £366,000 (2.1%)

Tourism: £1,293,000 (7.5%)

Community Services: £490,000 (2.9%)

Cemeteries: £151,000 (0.9%)

Environmental Health: £809,000 (4.7%)

Public Conveniences: £427,000 (2.5%)

Licensing: £70,000 (0.4%)

Other Cleaning: £1016,000 (5.9%)

Waste Collection: £2570,000 (15.0%)

Waste Disposal: £3019,000 (17.6%)

Building control: £29,000 (0.2%)

Minor Works: £236,000 (1.4%)

Trading Services: £338,000 (2.0%)

Economic Development: £479,000 (2.8%)

Democratic Representation and Management: £930,000 (5.4%)

Corporate Management: £836,000 (4.9%)

Central services to the Public: £345,000 (2.0%)

Notes: Community Services includes community centres, community festivals and good relations; Licensing includes petroleum, street trading, entertainment licences; Other Cleaning includes street cleaning, beach cleaning, litter control; Minor Works includes property maintenance, bus shelters, Christmas lighting; Trading Services includes harbours, Conway Square market; Democratic Representation & Management includes council meetings, staff costs (e.g. strategic planning, equality, freedom of information), members' expenses, Mayor's allowance; Corporate Management includes chief executive's office, public relations, performance management, area plan, bank interest, pension contributions; Central Services to the Public includes registration (births, deaths and marriages), election expenses, community safety, District Policing Partnership, contributions to other bodies, anti-social behaviour team.

Rating The Changes?

So when that bill lands on your doorstep, how do you rate the changes? District rates, regional rates, capital values…here's a simple guide to rates in Northern Ireland.

The Government is responsible for setting the Regional Rate - to fund services delivered centrally, such as roads, education, health and personal social services.

The Council is responsible for setting the District Rate - to fund services delivered locally, like bin collections, leisure centres, recycling facilities, building control and environmental health. As explained above, this year the Council agreed its lowest increase in 6 years, 3.49%.

The Regional Rate and District Rate are combined to make up your overall rates bill.

The Regional Rate accounts for approximately 60% of your bill, while the District Rate makes up the remaining 40%.

BUT

Remeber that the system used to calculate you final bill was changed recently by the Government. Now the rates you pay are based on the value of your home (as determined on 1 January 2005) - in other words, the higher your capital value, the higher your rates.

If you would like to know more about the rating system in Northern Ireland, contact the Rate Collection Agency, Belfast & Eastern Office, Londonderry House, 21-27 Chichester Street, Belfast, BT1 4JB, Tel: 028 9025 2525, Fax: 028 9025 2724, E: eastern.rca@dfpni.gov.uk, W: www.rca.nics.gov.uk.

Links:

• Rates Collection Agency