ST CLEMENT ratepayers got the rarest of gifts last night – a reduced rates bill.

Changes to the way in which welfare is paid mean that domestic residents of the parish will see their rates bills go down by 17 per cent.

St Clement, St Helier and St Saviour are set to be the biggest winners in the rates reforms that force the country parishes to pay their fair share of the welfare bill.

Because of a high proportion of social housing in the parish, St Clement residents had been paying unfairly inflated rates bills for years, according to parish Constable Derek Gray, who was pleased to offer a reduced rates bill for the first time in many years.

After last night’s meeting he said: ‘The domestic rate has gone down from 0.91p to 0.82p.

That’s around 17 per cent, which is good news for our parishioners.

It’s about time, because for a long time they have shouldered this burden of welfare which was not fairly spread.’