'Winners and losers' as new councils strike rates

The Mid Ulster and The Causeway Coast and Glens Councils stuck their first ever rates at meetings last night.

Even though the Mid Ulster Council have agreed a rate which will be among the lowest of the 11 councils being formed, homeowners in Magherafelt face a 5.63% more on existing bills, Dungannon householders 5.81% and Cookstown 2.74% .

In general terms, the average householder in Magherafelt, can expect to pay £881.38 per year from April 1.

The Mid Ulster council heard that the hike in the rates was a result of the council having to shell out £4 million on top of the three council’s existing budgets for the range of financial pressures which are being faced by the new council.

Other factors which influenced the final rate decision were costs of local government reform which amounted to £1.5 million, the impact if central government cuts and reduced activity totalling £500,000.

Presiding Counicllor (Chair) councillor Cáthal Mallaghan said: “ Striking the rate is arguably the single most significant decision which a council takes every year and in developing a budget for 2015-16, we have not only faced the challenge of merging three distinct organisations, but also the difficulties of clarifying the budgets of services transferring from central government.”

Meanwhile, The Causeway Coast and Glens District council agreed on a 1.5 per cent rate which will see homeowners in the Limavady area enjoy an 13.49 per cent decrease.

 While Coleraine owners find their rates increase by 11.29 per cent which works out at 2.4 per cent when the District Rates convergence relief is applied.

Causeway Coast and Glens District Chief Executive, David Jackson said that the new council were focusing on ‘cost control and driving down costs for the future’ and that he realised there would be ‘winners and losers in that scenario.’

For reaction to the rates see Tuesday’s County Derry Post.