Details of Burial Ground Rates, Water Rates and Sewerage Rates

AuthorityTreasury
Date received2025-01-02
OutcomeAll information sent
Outcome date2025-01-31
Case ID4344178

Summary

The request sought total collections and distribution details for Burial Ground, Water, and Sewerage Rates for the years ending March 2015 and 2024. The Treasury disclosed all requested information via two attached appendices and clarified that collection figures exclude prior year arrears while distribution figures include them.

Key Facts

  • The Treasury confirmed that all requested information was sent in attached appendices.
  • A discrepancy exists between total amounts collected and distributed for Burial Ground Rates due to the inclusion of prior year arrears in distributions.
  • The request covered financial data for the years ending 31 March 2015 and 31 March 2024.
  • The Department of Infrastructure publishes Local Authority Accounts reports to Tynwald annually.
  • The response was issued on 31 January 2025 following a request received on 2 January 2025.

Data Disclosed

  • 31 March 2015
  • 31 March 2024
  • 2 January 2025
  • 21 January 2025
  • 31 January 2025
  • 4344178
  • appendices nos. 1 to 2

Original Request

Please provide details of the total amounts collected by Treasury in respect of a) Burial Ground Rates b) Water rates c) Sewerage Rates in respect of the years ending 31 March 2015 and 31 March 2024. Please also provide details of the amounts distributed from Burial Ground Rates to each Burial Ground Authority, Church or other organisation in respect of the years ending 31 March 2015 and 31 March 2024, showing the amount and the name of each recipient.

Data Tables (1)

Full Response Text

Freedom of Information
Seyrsnys Fysseree

The Treasury Government Office,
Douglas Isle of Man, IM1 3PU

Telephone: (01624) 685605 Email: FOI.Treasury@gov.im

Government Website: www.gov.im

Our ref: 4344178 31 January 2025

Dear ###,

We write further to your request, received 2 January 2025 and amended 21 January 2025, which states:

"Please provide details of the total amounts collected by Treasury in respect of

a) Burial Ground Rates

b) Water rates

c) Sewerage Rates

in respect of the years ending 31 March 2015 and 31 March 2024.

Please also provide details of the amounts distributed from Burial Ground Rates to each Burial Ground Authority, Church or other organisation in respect of the years ending 31 March 2015 and 31 March 2024, showing the amount and the name of each recipient."

Our response to your request is as follows.

Please find attached the information you have requested in the attached appendices nos. 1 to 2.

You will note there is a difference in the Burial Ground Rates total amounts collected and the total of the amounts distributed. This is due to the fact that the total collected figure is not inclusive of any arrears for prior years collected within that rating year. Those arrears however would be included within the total amount distributed to Burial Ground Authorities.

You might be interested to know that the Department of Infrastructure lays a report on the Local Authority Accounts before Tynwald each year. More information is available here:

https://www.gov.im/about-the-government/departments/infrastructure/local-authority- accounts/

Please quote the reference number 4344178 in any future communications.

Your right to request a review

If you are unhappy with this response to your freedom of information request, you may ask us to carry out an internal review of the response, by completing a complaint form and submitting it electronically or by delivery/post.

An electronic version of our complaint form can be found by going to our website at https://services.gov.im/freedom-of-information/Review . If you would like a paper version of our complaint form to be sent to you by post, please contact me and I will be happy to arrange for this. Your review request should explain why you are dissatisfied with this response, and should be made as soon as practicable. We will respond as soon as the review has been concluded.

If you are not satisfied with the result of the review, you then have the right to appeal to the Information Commissioner for a decision on; 1. Whether we have responded to your request for information in accordance with Part 2 of the Freedom of Information Act 2015; or 2. Whether we are justified in refusing to give you the information requested.
In response to an application for review, the Information Commissioner may, at any time, attempt to resolve a matter by negotiation, conciliation, mediation or another form of alternative dispute resolution and will have regard to any outcome of this in making any subsequent decision. More detailed information on your right to a review can be found on the Information Commissioner’s website at www.inforights.im. Should you have any queries concerning this letter, please do not hesitate to contact me. Further information about freedom of information requests can be found at www.gov.im/foi.

I will now close your request as of this date.