12 April 2006 Rates Increases pay for better services
Increases in rate bills are needed to improve the level and quality of public services, Finance Minister Jeff Rooker has said
. The Minister was speaking as rate bills for 2006/07 are being delivered to householders across Northern Ireland. He said:
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Last year, on publication of the Budget we announced an increase of 19% in the Regional Rate. This level of increase is needed to support the improvements in public services that everyone wants to happen. All the money raised from the rates in Northern Ireland stays here to help pay for public services that bring benefit to everyone in the community.
“Everyone wants and deserves better public services, but no-one likes paying taxes. It is the job of the Government to strike the right balance those two factors. We have announced a substantial investment strategy for Northern Ireland, we have launched new funds for Children and Young People, Skills and Science, and Environment and Renewable Energy and we have just announced increased funding for new drugs used in the treatment of cancer. All these are worthy and need to be properly funded. At the same time we have ensured that those households on low incomes are protected and almost 175,000 households receive help with their rates and 20% of all households do not have to pay any rates at all.”
The Minister also highlighted the importance of reforming public services to make them more efficient. He said:
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We are also determined to use public money wisely to invest in the services that make real differences to people’s lives and to remove waste, inefficiency and duplication of service provision wherever it occurs. That is why the Secretary of State has announced a radical reform programme to cut the number of public bodies in Northern Ireland from 154 to 75 so that ratepayers money is spent where it should be – on front line service delivery – and not on wasteful bureaucracy.”
Notes to Editors:
Assistance may be available through the Housing Benefit Scheme for anyone having difficulty paying their rates. Homeowners should contact the Rate Collection Agency on 0800 5877 477. Housing Executive tenants, housing association tenants and N I Co-Ownership applicants should contact their local Housing Executive office.
