Constable urges States to finally pay rates

Thursday 23 February 2017

St Helier Constable Simon Crowcroft is urging the Council of Ministers to approve a deal which could see the Parish millions of pounds better off.

According to the Constable, after more than 20 years of discussions, the States finally accepted they should pay rates on public buildings during the recent budget debate.

He’s now asking the Council of Ministers to turn that approval into action.

Since the majority of States buildings are in ‘town’, paying rates would be a regular and lucrative income source. It might also get the constable out of a fix. A recent Royal Court decision means it’s likely parishioners will soon have to pay to have their commercial rubbish burned. This will probably mean rates will have to go up. States rates could help balance the books.

Pictured: Constable for St Helier, Simon Crowcroft, who lodged the proposition.

In a proposition lodged this week, Constable Crowcroft said: “I do not think it is necessary for this report to examine or judge the various arguments that were given against the proposal, given that the principle has been agreed on 2 separate occasions over the term of the present Council of Ministers. The important thing is that the Minister for Treasury and Resources brings forward a new proposition to permit the payment of Parish rates on public buildings in 2018, having carried out the further consultation with a number of States Members requested during the debate.”

A debate on the matter is set to take place in late March.