Press briefing of Cabinet Decision taken on 2017-10-10

Formulation of a methodology to regulate, license fees and other fees levied by the local authorities

- Complaints have been received to the effect that the General Public has to face various difficulties in situations when the Local Authority Institutions levy the Assessment Tax fees pertaining to the lands and buildings located within their respective areas of authority and providing certain services, due to the absence of a common policy on determining the rates of charges. It has been observed that the application fees for the purposes of amending the names given in the Assessment Register, for submitting Building Plot Development Plans, for the issuance of Compliance Certificates, for the charges made for Telecommunication Towers, the fees charged for licensing of business premises and assessment tax in certain instances are determined without any justifiable basis.

Accordingly, the proposal made by Hon. Faiszer Musthapha, the Minister of Provincial Councils and Local Government, to appoint an Officials' Committee chaired by the Secretary to his Ministry, to make a review on various taxes and fees levied by the Local Authorities at national level, was approved by the Cabinet.