“This will ensure that the groups
that use these premises and which often operate on very limited funds raised
locally, will not have to find additional funds to meet water charges and
will be able to continue providing services to the community unaffected
by phased withdrawal of relief on charges. Indeed, as they will now
be eligible for 100% relief as opposed to 80%, they will save money under
my scheme, said Mr Wilson.”
“In addition to the exemption scheme,
at the suggestion of the Council for Voluntary Organisations I have introduced
a £1 million transitional hardship scheme whose purpose would be
to assist those with incomes above the threshold, which suffered significantly
as a result of phased withdrawal of relief.
“I also announced to Parliament that
all Scottish Hospices would have their uplift from their Health Board increased
to compensate them for any increase in Water Charges.”
“Far from charities across Scotland
“being outraged” as claimed by Ms Ullrich in your paper, the proposed scheme
has been welcomed by youth organisations and churches as well as hospices,
claimed Mr Wilson.”
“The £50,000 income limit was
set at the request of organisations such as Youth Link and the Scottish
Churches Committee precisely because it exempted those organisations and
their premises currently in receipt of relief, said Mr Wilson.”
“The SNP proposal would have cost
£27 million the equivalent of a 5% surcharge on every Water Charge
payer including pensioners and others on fixed income with private schools,
golf clubs and swimming pools being the prospective beneficiaries.
Parliament correctly rejected this proposition in favour of my scheme of
targeted relief for those small voluntary organisations on an income less
than £50,000 per year.
|
