At the meeting of Onchan District Commissioners on the 23rd January 2017, the rate was set for the financial year from April 2017.

The Lead Member for Finance and General Purposes Martin Macfarlane thanked his fellow Commissioners and Officers for the extended period of work which has been required to set a rate for the forthcoming year.

Chairman of the Commissioners Robin Turton stated: “The aim of the Commissioners is to ensure that cost effective services are provided to the community of Onchan whilst also being mindful of the effect of any significant increase would have on the finances of ratepayers, many of whom will have seen no increase in their income”.

In setting a budget for the forthcoming year the Board members wished to sustain the current level of services to the community whilst working to find more cost effective and innovative ways of provided these services. One example of this is a strategic review of
Onchan Park to determine whether the facility continues to meets the needs of residents and visitors which has commenced during the current financial year.

As well as providing sustainable services Onchan District Commissioners are aware of the need to maintain a rolling programme of maintenance and replacement of facilities, as demonstrated by investment in the refurbishment of the Onchan Youth and Community
Centre which is due to re-open towards the end of March.

Mr Macfarlane said: “Taking into account the needs of the community the Commissioners aim to produce a budget which will create a small surplus at the end of each year which can be reinvested on behalf of the community. This surplus along with reserves will ensure that medium term finances of the Authority will remain predictable and sustainable”.

“To achieve this in the forthcoming year the Board has determined that the rate should increase by 2p to be set at 312p in the pound. This is an increase of 0.65% and it is expected that the average residential property in the district will pay an additional ?3 in the
forthcoming year”.

Onchan District Commissioners currently offer a prompt payment discount where payment of rates is made in full by the 30th June each year. As a growing number of rate-payers make instalment payments either direct from their bank account or by direct debit and do not receive a discount the Board as decided to reduce the prompt payment discount to 4%.