Wilson confirms good news for ratepayers
THERE was good news for local ratepayers this week as Finance Minister Sammy Wilson confirmed the freeze in domestic regional rates for 2010/11.
Earlier this month, Newtownabbey Council agreed a district rate increase of 4.9 per cent. And with the regional rate - the portion set by central government - frozen, that will mean an actual rise in domestic rates bills of around 2.6 per cent from April 1.
Confirming the good news for householders, Mr Wilson added that a 2.7 per cent increase in the non-domestic regional rate would “provide a freeze in real terms given the current level of inflation.”
“To raise more from ratepayers, both domestic and commercial, would place an unacceptable burden on ordinary people during this extraordinary economic downturn,” the DUP man stated.