The Ramsey town rate for the 2013-2014 financial year has been set at 348p, an increase of 6p over the 2012-2013 figure.

The rate levy was announced at a public meeting of Ramsey Town Commissioners held on Wednesday February 20th 2013 when lead member for finance Richard Radcliffe delivered the Commission’s rate statement.

Mr Radcliffe said the rate had been set against a background of ‘considerable challenges’ faced by central and local government to achieve savings without compromising service provision.

Setting the below-inflation rate had been ‘a long and difficult exercise’, but one that had achieved ‘a very good result for the town’, said Mr Radcliffe and he paid tribute to his fellow members and officers for their hard work in assisting the budgeting process. He continued: ‘Ramsey Town Commissioners have taken a pragmatic approach to balancing their budgets and are continuing to do more with less, investing in those areas that will create improved efficiencies.’

Ramsey Town Commissioners’ chairman Captain Nigel Malpass added: ‘This modest rate increase is a realistic response to the need to adapt to new economic realities and a realistic prescription for helping nurture growth and deliver prosperity in the town.’

The full 2013-2014 rates statement can be downloaded from www.ramsey.gov.im.