LOCAL MSP QUESTIONS SCOTTISH GOVERNMENT ON DATE OF WATER RATES EXEMPTION SCHEME REVIEW
Written by author on June 4, 2014
Dumfriesshire MSP Elaine Murray has submitted questions to the Scottish Government asking whether water rates exemption scheme for charitable organisations is to be reviewed after a local charity in Langholm contacted her because it does not currently qualify.
Under the terms of the water rates exemption scheme, charities in Scotland can qualify for an exemption in paying water rates. However, for historical reasons, it currently only applies to those charities that were in existence on 31 March 1999. More recently established charities do not qualify for the exemption, and therefore have to meet the cost of a substantial water rate charge.
Elaine said:
“I have brought this issue up in previous years, when the water rates exemptions for charities were being reviewed, but the date of qualification has remained static. The original scheme was introduced in 1999, and the qualification date was applied in order to prevent ‘charities’ from being set up in order to avoid paying water rates. However many genuine charities have now been set up since that date but can’t benefit from this scheme. All charities want to use their limited funds to support their causes, not charges that they could be exempt from paying. This even more important when it comes to smaller community based charities.”
