These Regulations make provision for the formula for determining the rates support grant payable by the Department of the Environment to district councils under section 27 of the Local Government Finance Act (Northern Ireland) 2011 (c 10).

These Regulations enable the Department of the Environment (“the Department”) to determine the amount of rates support grant payable to councils.

Regulation 3 provides that the Department shall calculate the amount of the rates support grant in accordance with the statutory formula described in Schedule 1 to the Regulations.

Regulation 4 requires the Department to use data in the formula based on the latest information available to it regarding the previous financial year.

Regulation 5 makes consequential amendments to the Rates Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2007.

Regulation 6 revokes the Local Government (General Grant) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2003, with a transitional provision for the calculation of the rates support grant for the financial year beginning on 1st April 2012 and a saving provision with regard to the resources element of the general grant for the financial year ending on 31st March 2012.

Copies of the Northern Ireland Multiple Deprivation Measure 2010 referred to in these Regulations may be obtained from the Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency, McAuley House, 2-14 Castle Street, Belfast, BT1 1SA (www.ninis.nisra.gov.uk).

Copies of the Best Value Accounting Code of Practice: 2010/11 referred to in these Regulations may be obtained from the Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy, 3 Robert Street, London, WC2N 6RL (www.cipfa.org.uk).