Rate hikes due to 'factors council cannot control'

Households in Douglas have seen the biggest rate rise for 2024 to 2025 so far

The Isle of Man's capital, hit with a 12% rise in housing rates, has been affected by "external factors", the city council's leader has said.

Douglas has seen the biggest rise so far in household bills, as the 21 local authorities set their tariffs.

It equates to an extra £74.88 over the year, for a typical three-bedroom home.

Council leader Claire Wells said it had to battle "increases that we don't have any control of".

Ms Wells told the Local Democracy Reporting Service that waste charges, electricity costs, and meeting budget shortfalls from the year before, have all played a role in setting the new rate.

'Over-reduced'

As well as these pressures, their biggest expenditure was staffing costs, she said, adding the figure was as "responsible and economical as possible".

Ms Wells said: "Over the past six to eight years we've been making a lot of reductions.

"We've actually over-reduced in some of our staff front line services.

"Staffing costs are our biggest costs, but they're also our biggest asset and we need to make sure that we treat them in the right way," she added.

Douglas City Council has set its rate for the 2024 to 2025 year at 573 pence in the pound, a rise of 64 pence.

The authority said its projected spend would be £583 per head of population, with the majority going to refuse and waste services.