THE City Council could net an unexpected £900,000 windfall to help balance the books The Citizen can reveal.

The rules governing the payment of business rates by nuclear power stations mean the council will now collect the monies and could benefit from an investment interest windfall. The rates used to go straight to government but new changes in the way it is collected could boost the council coffers.

Director Roger Muckle explained: "It's still a grey area and the Government could change the conditions but at the moment it's looking favourable and we've told members about it. We could receive anything from £400,000 to £900,000 to strengthen council balances."