Ms Jackie Maguire:

No. Local authorities general respect the need to work with the small and medium businesses in their counties.

They also contribute to sustainable communities because they have people working locally. Most chief executives would be loath to look for an increase in rates unless they really needed the funding or there was a specific purpose. The legislation allows for a specific rate increase for a bid scheme or whatever, or if it is to be spent on a specific purpose. Some local authorities have had the need to do that. It is more that we consider how we can support our local businesses, maybe by giving them incentives to pay. That has assisted in the collection levels, which have increased. I refer to incentive schemes to pay on time or to pay electronically over a period. That does increase the local authority's income take. The funding of local government as a topic has generated a lot of debate over the last number of years. No disrespect to our Department colleagues but we would argue that we need to be put on a firm footing. We saw the local property tax as doing that because it is collecting-----