Town Council Area Commercial Rates Must Not Be Raised

Wexford Chamber has  called on Government to guarantee that commercial rates in town centres do not increase as a consequence of the abolition of those Town Councils whose rates are lower than their surrounding Counties.
Fleur Creed, President of Wexford Chamber  said “With the upcoming abolition of Town Councils, there is major concern amongst businesses that commercial rates in many Town Council areas will be raised to match current County rates. In order to protect our town centres, many of which are already struggling, we urge the Government to bring the rates in line by using the savings arising to reduce the higher County rate rather than increase the lower rate.”
“The decline of town and city centres is detrimental to the quality of life for many people in Ireland. Fair commercial rates will help businesses to remain in these areas, contributing to the vibrancy of community life in our towns.”
“The cost savings associated with the restructuring of Local Government and the new revenues from the introduction of the Local Property Tax provide an immediate opportunity to apply targeted rate reductions that support town centres which would be of great benefit to vulnerable businesses,” Fleur  concluded.
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