Ni Authorities Get ￡8m Aid As Downturn Hits Income

摘要

Northern Ireland Executive finance minister, Nigel Dodds, has pledged ￡8m aid for councils faced with setting high rates bills because of falling incomes. He claimed the support was not a bailout, but an 'exceptional one-off. The province's 26 district councils are due to set regional rates bills by 14 February. Some councillors have warned that they may face increases of around 10% because of a sharp increase in the cost of collecting rates and the need to repay ￡5.6m to the Ministry of Defence and BT -which both won reductions in rates after appealing against earlier valuations.