Executive funding welcomed

Northern Ireland Local Government Association (NILGA) President and Clogher Valley DUP representative, Frances Burton said the £20.3 million funding to be shared between Northern Ireland’s councils will “help alleviate some immediate pressures”.

Communities Minister, Deirdre Hargey MLA, informed the Assembly that the Executive had agreed to provide the funding by way of an “immediate intervention”.

Speaking after this announcement was made Councillor Burton said: “This is welcome funding which will help alleviate some immediate pressures across our 11 local councils.

“Working with all councils, NILGA and chief officers have outlined the income annihilation that local government has suffered and will suffer solely due to COVID-19. The pressures on councils right now are huge and mounting daily.

“We will work with Stormont to ensure that this funding is allocated swiftly.”

Communities Minister Dierdre Hargey MLA said that councils continue to play a vital role in the delivery of public services.

“Despite the current COVID-19 pandemic, councils continue to play an essential role in delivering public services, such as waste collection and disposal, community support, and provision of registration and cemetery services.

“The restrictions that have been introduced, with the clear purpose of protecting life and ensuring out health service has not been overwhelmed, have created a severe financial challenge for our 11 councils as they have lost practically all of their self-generated income through the closure of council facilities.

“This funding will help assist councils with their cash flow and support them in the delivery of the vital services they are providing to the community at this time.

“It will also help ensure that they are ready to play their key role in our post-pandemic recovery and limit the financial impact on ratepayers going forward.”

Councillor Burton also said that as far as NILGA is concerned, this is the first in a range of financial measures that will be necessary to help councils recover.

“NILGA sees this as the first in a range of substantial funding measures which will help sustain essential council services for those in greatest need, thereby protecting frontline public services,” said Cllr Burton.

“This funding gives hope, not just for institutions like councils, but for the many partners that councils work with, to serve the community in the new Northern Ireland that must emerge out of COVID-19

“Ultimately this is about caring for our community. We owe it to all those who are sacrificing so much, so selflessly.

“With a longer-term financial package to be worked on for our councils, we reiterate our message that we will put citizens first and join with Stormont and national government to get our country safe and back to work again.”

Mid Ulster District Council was asked for comment.

Adam Morton , Local Democracy Reporting Service