MoD Rates Rebate Claim Is Refuted

A row has broken out over a million pound 'payout' to the Ministry of Defence (MoD).

The Sinn Fein MLA for East Derry, Francie Brolly, has slammed the Department of Finance under DUP Minister Nigel Dodds who he said has personally given the green light for a rebate amounting to around £1m to the MoD as part of a rates arrangement on three Co Londonderry barrack sites.

However, while Mr Brolly said: "The Department of Finance and Personnel, under Nigel Dodds, has agreed to give almost £1 million out of the local budgets to the MoD in a rates rebate." the Department itself has denied that the rating valuation has even been agreed at present.

Speaking yesterday, Mr Brolly alleged: "This will see £536,104 being reclaimed from the Assembly budget with the ratepayers of Limavady being forced to pay the balance of £390,139.

"Not only will this deplete the already pressed budget of Limavady Borough Council but at a time when the NI Assembly is searching for ways to divert money to help local people with the credit crunch, the handing over of over half a million pound from the overall budget will further strain the ability of the Executive to deal with crucial issues.

"Given the current economic crisis the MoD is getting a good deal out their bases.

"Not only are they subject to a phenomenal £1 million rates rebate but on top of this the future sale of any barracks will not benefit local people in any way.

"The monies raised will go straight back to the MoD, not into the Executive as should be the case."

However, it became clear some time ago that the majority of the money being raised through the closing of various MoD properties in NI will go to the NI Executive.

When Nigel Dodds was the Social Development Minister he insisted that his Department must have a central role in any developments.

Back in 2002, the then Chancellor of the Exchequer (Now PM) Gordon Brown announced that the various sites were all to be handed to the Executive for resale and regeneration.

Then, last night, a statement from the Department of Finance & Personnel said that the valuations of the MoD properties in Limavady Council's area are "in discussion" and have "not yet been agreed with the agents representing MoD and said that "it would therefore be inappropriate to make any further comment at this stage".

The official spokesperson also insisted there is no Ministerial role or involvement in this statutory process "either in respect of the applications from the MoD or from any other ratepayer".

The statement underlined the 'openness' of the process: "All ratepayers have the right to challenge the rateable valuations of their properties. The District Valuer has a statutory responsibility to ensure that a rateable valuation is fair and reasonable.

"The ratepayer or indeed the Council has a right to challenge the decision of the District Valuer and refer the matter to the Commissioner of Valuation.

"There is a further right of appeal to the Lands Tribunal for Northern Ireland."

See: Panel to advise Executive on rebirth of military base

(BMcC)