Donegal County Council is to issue letters to more than 30,000 households throughout the county advising them of their liability to pay the Household Charge this week.
The letter reminds householders that this is a self declaration charge which was introduced under the Local Government (Household Charge) Act 2011 and that late payments continue to incur penalties and interest fees on an ongoing monthly basis.
The amount now due, if paid in October, is €127 per property and this will continue to increase each month until the charge is paid.
Households have been identified from the Property Registration Authority database.
The council says that due to the manner in which names and addresses can be entered and recorded differently in computer systems by the public it is possible that in some circumstances details may not be matched correctly and some householders may receive a letter in error.
A spokesman says that in these cases and to avoid receiving further letters households are asked to contact the Central Bureau to verify their details and to ensure their records are updated.
Mr. Garry Martin, Director of Finance with Donegal County Council urged householders who have not yet paid the charge to do so as soon as possible to prevent any further unnecessary penalties and late interest fees accruing.
He acknowledging and thanked the 34,000 plus householders who have paid their charge in Donegal at this time.
“We understand that from 2013 the Revenue Commissioners will be responsible for pursuing any outstanding household charge and we would urge households who have not yet paid the charge to do so as soon as possible to avoid any further penalties and interest fees that the Revenue Commissioners will likely be pursuing from 2013 on”.
Monies collected from the Household Charge contribute to the Councils Local Government Fund allocation which finances or co-finances local services including fire & emergency services, road maintenance & street cleaning, development and other community projects, co-financing of EU projects, libraries, playgrounds, public lighting etc.
The council spokesman said these services benefit all communities across the County.
Donegal’s compliance rate to date for payment of the Household Charge has necessitated in the Council reviewing options for postponement of certain expenditure between now and the end of the year, in order to reduce expenditure and remain within available Budget as a result of a reduction in the Council’s Local Government Find allocation for 2012.
Mr. Martin concluded by advising that ”the greater the level of payment compliance in the County in the next number of weeks, the lesser the impact on available spend between now and the end of the year”
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