Council Agrees to Strike District Rate for 2024/25

Members of Newry, Mourne and Down District Council have struck the rate for the incoming financial year at 6.41%.

The Domestic Rate for 2024/2025 will be 0.4676 pence.  For a property valued at £133,000*, this would lead to an annual increase of £37.46 per year or £3.12per month.  The Non-Domestic District Rate for 2024/25 is 29.0334 pence. The rates that residents of the district pay are made-up of the District Rate (which is agreed by the Council) and the Regional Rate, to be set by the Northern Ireland Executive.

Newry, Mourne and Down District Council Chairperson, Councillor Valerie Harte said, “The District Rate pays for the services the Council is responsible for as well as delivering projects that will improve the economy of our district and the health and wellbeing of our residents.  This year’s Rate reflects the continuing economic challenges we as a local authority, like all businesses and organisations, are operating in at present.  

“The process of setting the Rate spans over several months. In setting the Rate, the Council must strike a balance recognising the challenging financial and economic situation and the need to continue to invest in our services and communities. We have worked hard for ratepayers to look at ways of increasing our revenue whilst also taking action to make savings. I would like to thank fellow Members and Council Officers for working together to create positive solutions to reducing the Rate whilst ensuring we can continue to deliver Council services.”

“As we face more extreme challenges from climate change, we must also develop our response to Climate Emergency to ensure this becomes engrained into our everyday approach across all our services going forward.  The recent autumn floods had a devasting impact on some of our residents and businesses and the Council will continue to support communities as they work to rebuild. In addition, we are developing a number of strategies and policies to promote sustainable development and ecological preservation. These include a Sustainability and Climate Change Strategy and Action Plan and a Biodiversity Strategy.  A Local Climate Adaptation Plan is being developed as part of Council’s Climate Action Programme, which identifies the impacts of climate change on all its operations including extreme flooding, storms, extreme heat and drought, coastal erosion and extreme cold in winter. These guiding documents will build on the significant work already undertaken on climate emergency by the Council in recent years and will provide further direction for the future.

“There are many exciting projects planned and already underway which will act as catalysts to regenerate our city and towns, creating a stimulus for the area.  The Council was one of three local authorities involved in the FASTER Project, installing high speed, public charging points for electric vehicles funded through €6.4M from the INTERREG VA programme. Further public electric vehicle charging is also planned as part of the collaborative On-Street Residential Chargepoint Scheme. 

“We will continue to implement our new Tourism, Arts, Culture and Heritage strategy to enhance our tourism offering and attract more footfall into our city and towns and support our nighttime economy.  The roll out of Environmental Improvements (EI) Schemes this year, in Bessbrook, Castlewellan, Rostrevor and Saintfield, will improve their physical infrastructure through enhanced public realm, better footpaths, street furniture, lighting and public seating.  Now that we have achieved UNESCO Global Geopark status, which recognises Newry, Mourne and Down’s unique landscape and geology, we will continue to work in tandem with local landowners, businesses and communities, to use the natural heritage as a tool for sustainable tourism, biodiversity improvements, geological education and sustainably managed outdoor recreation.  

“We are also committed to tackling health inequality within the district and we will continue to deliver initiatives such as the Physical Activity Referral Scheme for those with health-related conditions who may benefit from regular physical activity under the guidance of qualified exercise professionals.

“In the coming months we will be working with local communities to develop community trails across our seven District Electoral Areas, identifying pathways for specific types of activities to make the outdoors more accessible on people’s doorsteps.  A new Sports Development and Wellbeing strategy will look at how we promote clubs and strengthen their governance and encourage club engagement through financial assistance schemes.  

Chairperson, Councillor Valerie Harte concluded, “While Newry, Mourne and Down District Council faces the same financial challenges as all other Northern Ireland local councils, the Council’s collaborative approach with partners and communities offers a path to redesigning and delivering services that are responsive to local needs.  We look forward to delivering on important benefits for our district and are confident that we will adapt to new opportunities and challenges as they emerge, all with the key objective of improving the lives and livelihoods of the people who live and work here.”

FOOTNOTE:

The following figures are representative for the District Rate increase only.

When the ratepayer receives their Rates Bill from LPS it will include the Regional Rate which has not yet been set by the NI Executive.

*The monetary impact on Households, assuming the average capital value of a dwelling in NMDDC district amounting to £133K (figures provided by LPS)