When the UK government changed the formula under which the island and our near neighbour share VAT receipts in 2009 and 2011, the island’s government lost £200million a year.

That’s the principal reason behind many of the cuts currently being made in public services.

Now the island’s critics are circling again and want another revaluation.

The Manx Independent reports the details today.

Also this week:

Three pages of coverage of the Paradise Papers and reaction from the island after revelations made by Panorama and the Guardian.

After the meals on wheels cuts furore, we look more closely into the issue and find that one part of the DHSC is paying another (via Age Concern) for the service.

The island’s sub-post offices are losing £1.5m, we learn this week.

The government has held talks with the new owner of the Castle Mona Hotel.

A campaigner is fed up that a proposal to make local government more transparent is going out to consultation yet again. He says there’s no need and action should be taken now.

A young girl we featured on the front page last month has now had her heart transplant. We find out how she’s getting on.

We meet the island artist whose work adorns Marks & Spencer’s Christmas biscuit tins.

A court this week heard how a police dog sniffed out cannabis intended for a man who said he wanted it for pain relief.

Our 20-page leisure and entertainment section, Island Life, includes plenty on ideas for going out plus the Isle of Man’s what’s on guide.

Our sports section looks forward to the weekend’s fixtures, plus there are your letters, a page of pictures from the past, readers’ photos, your seven-day television guide and lots of community news.

The Manx Independent is in the shops now.