Rise in Tipperary commercial rates as housing and roads dominate spending
Businesses across Tipperary contributed more than €1.5 million in commercial rates last year — a crucial stream that made up over 16pc of Tipperary County Council’s income in 2023.
That’s according to figures revealed in Tipperary County Council’s statutory audit report for 2023, which shows that the local authority collected €1.56m in commercial rates that year, up from €1.53m the previous year.
The increase brings Tipperary County Council’s commercial rates receipt into line with county councils around the rest of the country, the report states.
"The rates collection yield improved by 2pc in 2023 on the previous year which brings the Council into line with the 2022 national average.”
Beyond commercial income, housing also featured heavily in the council’s finances.
Housing was another major focus, with the council spending €58 million on housing provision and achieving a 92pc rent collection rate. However, €1.6 million in rent arrears remained outstanding at year-end, with 85pc of all debts outstanding within the council owed for three months or more.
A total of 16 clients of the county council owed more than €10,000 in arrears.
In terms of housing loan arrears, 99pc of all money owed in 2023 was collected by the end of the year, putting Tipperary County Council among the highest collectors in the country.
€114,000 of arrears were outstanding more than three months, with four clients owing €48,000 between them.
In 2023, the council spent €58m in providing housing, while the council paid €6.7m to Approved Housing Bodies for the provision of housing, according to the financial report.
A total of €23m was spent on roads projects, with €7.8m of this being on the N24 Carrick-on-Suir Pavement Strengthening and Safety Improvement Scheme, while a further €2.5m was spent on the N24 Cahir to Limerick Junction Scheme.
Development management expenditure, mainly focused on the purchase of land and buildings amounted to €15m, with the majority of this being spent on the purchase of the former Lisheen Mines site, while the Urban Regeneration and Development Fund (URDF)/ Rural Regeneration and Development Fund (RRDF) projects amounted to €6.9m, with Leader and Town and Village Renewal projects costing a total of €4.2m.
The council’s capital account had a net credit balance of €89m as of the end of December 2023, the report said.