A budget of ‘investment in the community’ has been announced today (Friday) by Douglas City Council.
At its annual rate setting meeting, members this morning voted to set a rate levy of 620 pence in the pound, an increase of 18p (2.99 per cent) for the 2026-27 financial year.
Council Leader, Councillor Mr Devon Watson, said the local authority remained firmly committed to delivering essential public services for Douglas and the wider community, despite an impact of financial pressures and rising costs which affect all local authorities.
Addressing the Chamber, he pointed to a planned major investment in play areas across the city, improvements and modernisation of Douglas Crematorium, promenade infrastructure works and public lighting.
He said supporting and investing in the community was the priority for all Councillors and staff through good quality frontline services, popular community events and a commitment to provide quality, affordable and efficient homes for those in housing need, referring to significant capital investment in public sector housing, including £7.8 million for the ongoing maintenance of family homes including the external refurbishments in the Willaston Estate over the next 12 months.
Mr Watson said prudent budgeting had allowed them to deliver a responsible and economical rate below the rate of inflation and he also called upon the Island’s Treasury to act more proactively, highlighting a lack of progress in rates reform for dilapidated properties.
‘At its heart, this budget is about investing where it matters most: in the everyday places and services that shape our quality of life,’ he explained. ‘Our job is to ensure that our city has the resilience it needs to adapt and thrive in a changing world. Our job is to care. Our job is to invest.
‘By providing safe, welcoming play areas, making infrastructure improvements and increasing access to affordable housing, we’re strengthening the foundation of our community. When we invest in our neighbourhoods, we all get out what we put into it – safer places for our children, stronger infrastructure we can rely on and homes that help families put down roots and thrive.
‘I believe this budget reflects that ethos in a number of ways; the overall £14.1 million capital investment in public sector homes incorporating £6.3 million for new build housing developments; more than £1 million we have pledged to invest in play areas in the city over the next two years, the £2.5 million earmarked for Promenade infrastructure improvements and the £0.5m programme to upgrade public lighting.’
Mr Watson also revealed the authority planned to invest further in improving the capital’s CCTV network.
‘Douglas has many things that make it special and one of our core objectives is to preserve and maintain it’s status as one of the safest capital cities in the world,’ he added. ‘As Councillors, we have a duty to support residents of the capital and the Island, not only for those living in our city today but also to ensure sustainability for those living in Douglas in the years ahead.
‘We will never be complacent in the management of public finances and our valued ratepayers’ monies and I truly believe this budget will help to ensure we still have a thriving Douglas in years to come for our children and grandchildren.’
The Council Leader went onto to talk about improving and modernising the Island’s only cremator, a facility he described as critical national infrastructure. ‘Improving this service is deeply important to ensure that people and their loved ones have a seamless and dignified service at the end of their lives.
‘The planned investment over the next 12 months will also help drive energy efficiency and greenhouse gas emissions.’
The environment was very much at the heart of his speech in which he highlighted a significant rise in recycling participation, with rates reaching an all-time high of 28 per cent last year – a five fold-increase since 2022.
The authority’s partnership with Keep Britain Tidy, through its ‘Bin Your Butts’ campaign had led to a 50 per cent reduction of cigarette litter in entertainment areas, he acknowledged.
On rates reform, the Leader added: ‘We have successfully reduced the number of dilapidated and dangerous properties in Douglas by 42 per cent over the past two years and, with the coming introduction of our work on zero rated properties, we seek to see this number fall further.
‘There are plenty of buildings in our city centre that could be homes, businesses or community facilities but are left to decay instead because no one’s had to pay rates on them. That’s not fair on the rest of our ratepayers and it’s not good for Douglas. I urge Treasury to introduce a new policy which will ensure owners of empty and run-down buildings in the capital pay rates and so we can breathe new life back into neglected properties.’
More details about the Council’s 2026-27 budget can be found on the attached PDF.
