20 February 2009
By Paul Gosling
Domestic rates set by Northern Ireland's district councils are to rise by an average of 5% in 2009/10.
The highest increase is 8.52%, agreed by Fermanagh council. Two district councils - Castlereagh and Larne - are keeping their rates at last year's level. Out of the 26 councils, only six are not increasing rates above the level of inflation.
Rates paid by householders and businesses comprise both the district rate set by councils and the regional rate imposed by the Northern Ireland Assembly, which is frozen until 2011/12.
Consequently, the total rates bill is much higher than that set by a council, but this year's percentage increase is much smaller.
An £8m support package announced last month by Finance Minister Nigel Dodds avoided councils levying even higher increases.
Variations between expectations of rates incomes provided by the Land and Property Services government agency and actual rates income have given councils severe financial problems.
These discrepancies were caused by higher-than-predicted levels of vacant property.
PFfeb2009
