Seasonal Waterford businesses unhappy with ‘unfairness’ of council’s rates system
The matter was raised by Cllr Eamon Quinlan at the June plenary meeting of Waterford City and County Council
A number of seasonal Waterford businesses are unhappy with the “structural unfairness” of the council’s rates system, a council meeting has heard.
The matter was raised by Fianna Fáil councillor Eamon Quinlan at the June plenary meeting of Waterford City and County Council.
Cllr Quinlan said: “I have been approached by numerous business operators across the city and county who effectively run seasonal businesses - businesses that tend to be solely open across the summer months.
“What they wanted me to highlight was the structural unfairness of how we collect our commercial rates.
“They get a bill for 50 per cent of their rates in January and then they get a further one in July.
“I understand that they have to enter a repayment plan in the first three to four months of the year if they want to avail of the scheme that we’re operating with our prompt payment and they acquire a discount.”
He went on to ask whether the council can alter its rates system so that seasonal businesses can pay their rates when they have better cashflow.
“What they’re essentially asking is would Waterford City and County Council consider that where a business can demonstrate that they are in fact a true seasonal business, with things like hospitality and tourism and so on, that we will allow them to essentially discharge their rates when they have the cashflow to do during the course of the summer months.
“There’s no point in asking them to enter a repayment plan in March or April of the year when they’re at their lowest egg and have nothing coming in.”
Cllr Quinlan concluded by saying that the council should look to facilitate businesses that “can satisfy that they can pay their rates and acquire access to the payment scheme”.
In response, Director of Finance Bernard Pollard said that those businesses should contact the council directly.
Mr Pollard said: “Number one, I’d say if you have any particular people who have this issue, they should come to us and discuss it with us.
“Just talk to your rates collector and they will try to help. Ultimately, it's our ambition to get everyone on direct debit.
“So if someone comes to us at the end of April and says ‘I want to put a direct debit and it won’t start until June or December’, that’s okay.
“We can basically time the payment to come in at a reasonable time from their perspective.”
He concluded by saying that the council will do “everything it can” to try and facilitate seasonal businesses.