Local Government Funding

Councils' financial resources are from rates income; government grants; fees and charges for certain services; and loans.

2008/2009

The 2008/2009 District Council Rates Table can be accessed below:-

District Council Rates 2008-2009 (pdf file size 416KB)

Further information on the 2008/2009 Rates will follow soon.

2007/2008

For 2007/2008 the total estimated expenditure of district councils is £584.2 million, and this should be met from:

• Rates income (£401.6m);
• General Grant Resources Element (£20.5m);
• General Grant Derating Element (£22.1m);
• Transitional relief (£2.2m); and
• Other grants etc (£137.8m).

Councils are legally required to strike the district rates (the domestic rate and the non-domestic district rate), no later than 15 February each year, at a level estimated to adequately meet their financial needs in the next financial year.  Collection of the district rates is undertaken by the Rate Collection Agency (Department of Finance & Personnel).

District Council Rates 2007/2008 (pdf file size 304KB)

Grants

Government grants consist of:-

• the General Grant, paid by the Department of the Environment both to compensate councils for loss of rate income due to the statutory derating of certain property and to provide additional financial resources for those councils whose needs exceed their wealth base.
• specific grants paid by government departments to assist the financing of certain revenue and capital expenditure.

Subject to the approval of the Department of the Environment, loans may be raised by councils to assist the financing or funding of capital projects.