FURY AT HIGHEST BUSINESS RATES FOR WATER, SEWERS
THE Western Isles - the most fragile economy in the north of Scotland - is being hit with the highest business charges for water and sewerage in the NOSWA-area, it was stated this week.
Speaking at the Finance Sub-Committee on Monday, Vice Convener, Mr Angus Graham said the failure to equalise charges to the business community, giving the Islands the highest business charges, was just not common sense.
The Council had urged Scottish Office minister, George Kynoch to look at the situation, but there was certainly not going to be progress this year, said Mr Graham. He felt it was time the local business community started making representations to ensure the North of Scotland Water Authority formally moves towards equalisation of their business rates.
"It could not have been the intention of the Government for the most fragile business area of the Highlands and Islands to be paying the highest business rates for water and sewerage," added the Vice Convener.
He was hitting out in response to a report before the Finance Sub-Committee which indicated that if there was equalisation of business charges there would have been a reduction of 74.6 per cent payable in Island water charges in 1996/97 and a reduction of 26 per cent in sewerage charges. For a business with a rateable value of £1,000 the difference would have totalled £104 and for one with a rateable value of £20,000, a saving of £2,088.
Mr Graham stated the anomaly of the weakest economy having the highest charges could be put right administratively with no change in the financial position of the water authority. All it would mean was Tayside paying a little bit more to equalise the prices across the board.
"We are being penalised for living in a remote rural area," complained Mr Graham.
He said a commitment to equalise the domestic water and sewerage rates had been given in the House of Commons, but no such commitment had been forthcoming on the business rates. And to his mind, this was " a bit of sharp practice."
The Vice Convener was also concerned at the number of new charges creeping in, including a massive hike in the price charged for a fank stand pipe.
He went on that the issue underlined the need for the Council to be fulfilling an advocacy role on behalf of the public, and he pledged to continue highlighting the issue and urging the business community to take action.
Original article Stornoway Gazette Mar 18 1997.
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