The public are being invited to comment on the proposed extension of Port Erin’s boundary to include the whole of the Ballakilley housing estate.Port Erin Commissioners want to extend the village’s border.

The authority argues the extension will overcome an ’iniquitous’ situation, in which more houses - 90 when plans were first drawn up - are in Port Erin, but pay considerably higher rates than the 66 houses on the Rushen parish side of the boundary, despite them all using the same services. But Rushen Parish Commissioners resist the move, saying it is land grabbing to generate more income and are writing to affected residents urging them to object.Port Erin has been pushing for extension of the boundary since the estate was built in 2013. In February, Rushen issued a statement calling on Port Erin to drop its proposal saying the move is ’antagonistic’.

The commmissioners said: ’Although Port Erin’s application has been forwarded to central government, Rushen has not been made aware of Port Erin’s case or what residents would gain from the move other than a much bigger rate bill.’Rushen Commissioners’ chairman Peter Gunn said: ’Unfortunately, the rate money from Port Erin’s three previous boundary extensions, which could have helped Rushen improve services in the parish, appears to have been spent instead on expanding Port Erin’s administration functions rather than improving services.’Port Erin Commissioners applied to the Department of Infrastructure for an Order under Section 6 of the Local Government Act 1985.As part of the process for considering the application, a public inquiry is held to allow interested people to comment on the proposals.The information gathered will be considered by the chairperson of the public inquiry, who will supply a report to the department with a recommendation on whether an order should or should not be made to adjust the boundary.The department will then consider the recommendation before determining whether or not to make the Order which -if approved - would be subject to the approval of Tynwald. -A copy of the commissioners’ application together with a plan showing the area in question and the criteria for the consideration of local government boundary extensions can be viewed online (https://consult.gov.im/infrastructure/port-erin-boundary-extension/) or at the Department of Infrastructure’s Local Government Unit offices at the Sea Terminal in Douglas.Views should be supplied in writing on or before 5pm Friday, September 14, using the online response form at http at https://consult.gov.im/infrastructure/port-erin-boundary-extension/ by email to [email protected] or by post to the Local Government Unit, Department of Infrastructure, Sea Terminal, Douglas, IM1 2RF.