The total rates bill levied on ratepayers is made up of the District Rate, which is set by the Council and the Regional Rate which Central Government determines.
The District Rate funds Council expenditure on service areas such as leisure and recreation, environmental, planning and development as well as capital programmes. Regional rates help fund services such as water, sewerage, roads, education and housing.
District Rates 2025 - 2026
In the 2025-2026 financial year, there is a 5.1% increase in the district rate residents pay, and a 5.1% increase in that paid by businesses in Mid Ulster.
How we'll use your rates in 2025 - 2026
The continuing difficult financial climate, additional pressures including a rise in Employer National Insurance Contributions and National Pay Award increases, and most significantly, a shortfall in central government funding received by the Council through the Rates Support Grant has meant that setting a realistic budget that minimised the impact on local people was extremely difficult.
A proposed mix of savings, efficiencies, and increased income generation has been identified to offset the additional costs and minimise the impact on ratepayers; while remaining focused on delivering the essential services residents expect, as well as reflecting what residents value the most.
Investing on the ground in Mid Ulster
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The Council will continue to invest on the ground in Mid Ulster, with several significant projects due for completion in 2025, including Maghera Public Realm improvements, part of the £9m Maghera Regeneration Programme which also includes a Wetlands Park and Business Park.
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The completion of small settlement schemes in Castledawson, Castlecaulfiled, Clady, Bellaghy, Moy, Coalisland and Clogher will transform recreational, outdoor, and civic spaces for our residents, revitalising villages throughout the district and improving accessibility. The first of these projects to soon kick off will be in Castlecaulfield, part funded by DFC/DAERA and the Council, the £900k project will significantly transform sports facilities in the village, including an overhaul of the existing football pavilion to include the inclusion of accessible toilets and a Changing Places space, as well as improvements in parking.
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As part of the delivery of the district’s PEACEPLUS Local Action Plan, we will support the development of the Mid Ulster Environment and Biodiversity Eco site on the shores of Lough Neagh at Traad Point, Ballyronan, developing an educational centre to promote biodiversity education and environmental awareness through structured projects with local communities, schools and youth groups.
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We will continue to work in partnership with the Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media, in co-operation with the Department for Communities to deliver a £4M investment programme to enhance Bellaghy and Bellaghy Bawn by creating a literary hub of international significance.
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We’ll also invest in our recycling centres, with a programme of improvements rolled out across the district, including a new recycling centre in Maghera.
Improving leisure and outdoor recreation opportunities
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On-going investment in pitch, play and leisure facilities as part of the Council’s Pitches, Play, and Outdoor Recreation Strategies is also planned in the year ahead, including the significant development of pitches and running track at Mid Ulster Sports Arena, a £3.5m programme of work funded by Sport NI and the Council that starts at the end of this month, and the continuation of improvements across the district’s Play areas.
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As part of the Council’s Pitches and Recreational Spaces Strategy, we will distribute £321k to grassroots sporting clubs and community groups and continue to enhance the development of grass roots hockey provision in the Mid Ulster Council area by assisting the Royal School Dungannon and Cookstown High School with associated 3G pitch maintenance costs.
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We’re also investing in our leisure services, with new equipment in our leisure facilities as part of a seven-year improvement programme and a new Indoor floor in Meadowbank Sports Arena.
Supporting our Community and Voluntary Sector
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The Council is committed to providing over £800K in community funding, to support community groups and strategic events across the Mid Ulster area, while continuing to provide key events across the year, such as the Continental Market in Cookstown, Lumarina in Ballyronan, the Coalisland Bash, and at Halloween and Christmas across the district.
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We’ll also continue to support our community and voluntary sector through strengthening local communities, increasing capacity and promoting participation.
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Our new transformative integrated community development engagement strategy for Mid Ulster will, through a partnership approach with the local community and key government agencies, ensure maximisation of investment to our area and enable grant aid of over £1m to go to organisations working directly with residents.
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Through our Good Relations service we’ll support the Programme for Government priority of Ending Violence Against Women and Girls and move forward with community stakeholders to establish Mid Ulster as a Sanctuary local authority area.
Growing our economic, business and employability sectors
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As part of the MSW Growth Deal, the Council will progress the delivery of critical economic infrastructure including the A29 Cookstown bypass with lead partner the Department for Infrastructure, and the Desertcreat Green Innovation Park in collaboration with Invest NI to help the region reach the ambitions set out in the Regional Economic Strategy.
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We will support the growth of the tourism sector in Mid Ulster by rolling out a collaborative business growth programme and supercharge the Mid Ulster food sector by providing a platform for local food/craft producers/suppliers through the Taste Mid Ulster initiative.
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The Council, as part of the new enterprise and business support service “Go Succeed”, will support 388 local entrepreneurs to achieve their start-up ambitions and support 400 businesses annually across Mid Ulster, to stimulate 128 new business starts and create 400 new jobs.
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In 2024, 27 Mid Ulster businesses have been collectively awarded almost £320,000 from the Digital Transformation Flexible Fund to adopt new digital technologies, and Council will continue to work with local businesses to maximise their opportunity to avail of this Funding during 2025/26.
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Town centres and rural settlements are an integral part of Mid Ulster and we will continue to develop initiatives and maximise funding opportunities by working with all stakeholders to support their economic growth. Council has secured £1.7m from the UK Shared Prosperity Fund, Department for Communities and Department of Agriculture Environment and Rural Affairs to deliver rural business development grants, and Town Centre Spruce Up Schemes along with physical regeneration interventions.
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We will deliver support to businesses through programmes such as Enterprise Week and key physical regeneration schemes. We will deliver the first Mid Ulster Town Centre Place Plan and continue to support our town centre forums and businesses.
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Through the Mid Ulster Labour Market Partnership (LMP), we will also support over 100 residents on a pathway back into employment or to gain new skills, improving their prospects of progression within the local labour market.
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We will establish a new Local Economic Partnership (LEP) that will identify the main barriers to economic development and the priority interventions that will build the region’s value proposition.
Focusing on our environment
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We will continue to build on our environmental education work with schools including delivering Eco Schools programme support as well as an Eco Speak competition open to all local primary schools.
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The Council will be continuing to progress its draft Climate Change and Sustainability Action Plan delivering actions that will help build resilience to the potential negative impacts of climate change, whilst taking advantage of any possible opportunities.
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One such opportunity comes from the Extended Producer Responsibility for Packaging (EPR) Scheme, income which we will use to cover the existing costs Council incurs for managing household packaging waste and support much needed investment in the waste and recycling industry, leading to improved recycling collections of packaging materials.
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The Council plans to allocate the payments to further projects within the spirit and requirements of the Scheme, prioritising those planned and anticipated actions that will efficiently and effectively contribute to a practical reduction in waste.
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We are growing our electric vehicle fleet to contribute to our sustainability goals.
For advice on rates, housing benefit and rates relief visit www.nidirect.gov.uk/rates-help