Rural Regeneration Scheme and Vacant Properties Scheme

The grant scheme is a grant of the following:

• 75% of commercial rates payable in year one up to a maximum of €3,750 • 50% of commercial rates payable in year two up to a maximum of €2,500 • 25% of commercial rates payable in year three up to a maximum of €1,250

Full details of the scheme and applicable criteria are available on the Councils website www.clarecoco.ie

This Council under Section 66 of the Local Government Act 2001 (Promotion of interests of local community) is providing support to local businesses by introducing the two schemes outlined above.

Rural Regeneration Scheme and Vacant Properties Scheme

Section 31 of the Local Government Reform Act 2014 gives the power to the members of local authorities to vary the level of rates refunds that apply in individual local electoral areas within the overall administrative area of the local authority. Article 29 of the Local Government (Financial and Audit Procedures) Regulations 2014 provides that the decision to alter the rate of refund should be decided at the statutory annual budget meeting and that the rate of refund decided in respect of the relevant local electoral area shall apply to eligible persons for the year to which the budget relates.

This has been the subject of members notice of motions in the past year and formed part of the budget deliberations to incentivise the occupation of these properties and motivate property owners to return their vacant properties to commercial use and/or alternative uses. It is proposed in this adopted budget to reduce the vacancy relief for vacant properties as per the detail below.

Properties with a commercial rates value of less that €20k (95% of the vacant properties), will continue to receive a 100% rates refund / vacancy credit for a threeyear step in period. In effect property owners given a three-year setup period to refurbish and bring the property back into use and/or convert to alternative use. The Council will in line with this incentive for rural regeneration revisit the scheme after that time period.

For property values above €20k there is a tiered credit approach as follows:

• Properties in range 20-50 75% • Properties 50-100 50% • Properties>100 25%

The adopted budget 2021 has been framed on the basis the refund rates or vacancy credit on vacant property in County Clare as per the detail above. Full details of this scheme will be developed with members in 2021. 7