Who Are We ?

Ayrshire Valuation Joint Board has been established since 1996 and discharges jointly the functions of North, South and East Ayrshire Valuation authorities.

Ayrshire Valuation Joint Board is a council in its own right, separate from the three Ayrshire Councils, comprising 16 members, elected councillors from each of the three authorities for which the Board has responsibility.

The Board appoint The Assessor responsible for the preparation and maintenance of the Valuation Roll and Valuation List, base documents which are required for the three Ayrshire Councils to ingather non-domestic rates and council tax.

The three Councils have also appointed Ayrshire Valuation Joint Board to discharge jointly the function of Electoral Registration and so the Board is also responsible for the preparation and maintenance of the Register of Electors which is essential for all Parliamentary and Local Government Elections.

The Assessor and his staff

The Assessor is Alastair Kirkwood, BSc, Dip Rat, IRRV (Hons), who is a Member of The Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors with many years of experience in local government.

The department is sub-divided into three sections, one for each unitary authority.

Each section is managed by an assistant assessor who is supported by qualified valuation, technical and administrative staff. The assistant Assessor for North Ayrshire area is Alec Syme, South Ayrshire area is Joy Hunter and for East Ayrshire area John McConville.

Duties of the Assessor

Virtually all of the duties of the Assessor and Electoral Registration Officer are prescribed by Statute rather than by the Local Authority or Valuation Authority. To safeguard the Assessor’s impartiality in carrying out his statutory duties it is laid down in Statute that the Assessor cannot be removed from office without the permission of the Secretary of State.

The assessor and his department are responsible for three main functions:

1. The production of a Valuation Roll setting out the values of all non-domestic properties for rating purposes.

2. The production of a Council Tax Register or list in which is shown the Council Tax band of each dwelling for Council Tax purposes.

3. The production of the Register of Electors (commonly known as the "Voter’s Roll").

The Assessor is answerable to the Valuation Appeal Committee and to other courts in the defence of his valuations and bandings. Moreover, it is worth noting that unlike income tax etc. assessments, the Valuation Roll, the Council Tax Register and the Register of Electors are all public documents which are open to inspection and scrutiny by members of the public.

Where are we ?

The assessor’s office is located at 9 Wellington Square, Ayr and close to the South Ayrshire Council offices within the County Buildings.

The main entrance to the office is off Wellington Square with disabled person access provided via Mews Lane to the rear of the building.

The office is open from 8.45 am to 4.45 p.m. Mon to Thurs and from 8.45 am to 3.55 p.m. Friday.

It is closed Sat and Sun and also during statutory public holidays.

See our Contact details.

See our Privacy Policy.

See our Equalities Scheme.

See our Freedom of Information Publication Scheme.

See our Board Meeting minutes.

 

This page last updated : June 2011