Douglas residents will see an increase in their annual rates of 3.3% from 419p to 433p after the council unanimously voted in favour of the rise.

Leader of the Council David Christian said the rise was necessary to ensure that Douglas can ’continue to deliver... not to decline’.

In his speech outlining the 2019/20 budget and rate increase, Mr Christian said that the work of the council to reduce its costs had helped to reduce a further rise.

He outlined some of the savings made by the council which included cutting £70 from a stationary budget and a ’reduction in its full-time workforce by 38’ over the past seven years, without which the rates would be up to 12% higher than 433p.

One of the major reasons behind the increase was an increase in the council’s national insurance and pensions contributions.

Councillor Karen Angela, chairman of the Pensions Committee, told the council that employer contributions would rise from 26% to 27% in April 2019 and a further 1% rise in April 2020.

Further costs came from an increase in national insurance contributions which increase from 9.1% to 12.8%.

That increase totalled a £172,000 cost to residents which is a 6.3p rise on ratepayers.

Mr Christian also noted that the £60,000 cost impact for Douglas from the energy from waste plant equated to a 2.2p rise in the rates.

Despite this, Mr Christian said the council would also spend money to continue to grow.

He said the council would not be ’shying away from pursuing an ambitious capital programme’.

This included £148,000 to replace street lighting columns, £212,000 to convert the remaining lights to LED lighting, £195,000 for a new skate park in Noble’s Park and £25,000 for new features in Summerhill Glen.

Mr Christian said that the year’s budget is one of ’growth, investment and visions’.

He added: ’We can and we will deliver a Douglas fit for the future.’

During the rate setting meeting of the council, it was confirmed the early stages of work has begun to replace the Lord Street flats.

We reported last year that resident Keith Mourant had complained about the state of the flats when part of a ceiling fell on him.

Mr Christian and chairman of the Housing Committee, councillor Claire Wells, said that Lord Street was reaching the end of its natural life.

Mrs Wells added: ’We want to provide good quality housing and this council recognises we have a duty to provide for the needs of our tenants.’