'As good as we could get' district rate narrowly approved at Mid and East Antrim Borough Council
A district rate increase of 2.95 per cent for households and businesses was narrowly passed at a special meeting of Mid and East Antrim Borough Council.
Speaking in the chamber, the Mayor, Ulster Unionist Councillor Jackson Minford, said: “Our focus throughout has been on striking a rate that protects front line services, is sustainable and still allows for development.
“We are all very aware of the general cost of doing business and cost of running a household continues to rise and we have worked hard to balance those pressures with the council’s responsibility to set a balanced budget.
“Like every business, the council’s costs are increasing across every aspect of council operations and we have a significant capital expenditure programme to deliver over the coming years.”
Larne Lough DUP Councillor Gregg McKeen proposed the new district rate be struck. He said: “We all know the difficult circumstances that many people find themselves in, in the current situation, hence why we have tried to keep this rate as low as possible.
“As much as everybody would like to set a zero rate, I think we have to look at things in practical terms. There are pay increases for staff, rising waste disposal costs and various other general expenses and purchases are increasing for council like all other people in businesses throughout the borough.
“I think where we are going now, we have a capital plan which sees a number of projects throughout the borough going to be achieved over the next year such as a fleet of vehicles which needs replaced and renewed and there is finance set aside for that.”
Significant Spend
He also indicated the Larne cemetery project will see “significant spend” this year as well as support for senior football clubs and provision of 3G pitches in the borough.
Moving on to waste harmonisation, this year, he said this will have to be funded to “improve the waste services we provide throughout this borough”.
He pointed out the proposed new rate is below inflation, which he considers, would “show the general public we have done our best to try and keep the rate as low as we can”.
Seconding the proposal, Larne Lough Alliance Alderman Robert Logan also highlighted rising costs such as wages and energy, which he described, as a “never-ending circle which we have to be prudent about”.
Some of the projects the council has proposed, he stated, will enhance the economy in Mid and East Antrim in time, in particular, the City Deal projects which he said, will “come to fruition” and which represent a “major financial investment by Central Government in Mid and East Antrim”.
Larne Lough Ulster Unionist Cllr Roy Beggs said: “During the rates process, I have highlighted my concern over the cost of the capital plan and because of that excessive plan, that I and my colleagues had voted against and subsequently the rate which is being proposed.
“During the process, I have also highlighted statistics about our ageing waste vehicle fleet and I am very pleased that as part of this meeting, unusually, we have approved the purchase of a batch of numerous collection vehicles and rightly so.”
Reliable Equipment
He added the council will need to continue to invest in its waste management fleet and to ensure staff have “reliable equipment which can be maintained and provide an efficient service to the rate payer”.
He stated he and his colleagues will continue to question some projects which he described as “”highly questionable” and “not essential council services” and commented that finances should be “concentrated on basic services”.
Ballymena TUV Cllr Matthew Armstrong said: “I do oppose the rate that has been presented, for no other reason, than I think we could have done a bit more work.
“I also believe that some of the projects that we are pursuing, chiefly City Deal, are going to be a burden on the ratepayer for a number of years.
“One of those projects is a Ballymena-based project, the i4C and I think that it is of its time and I don’t believe the people of Ballymena should be paying for that, particularly whenever they still haven’t got their promised leisure centre.
“We do need to look at City Deal on a political basis. I understand that money has been spent but at the same time, sometimes we have to decide that spending good money after bad is not an option. I do urge that we make moves on the Ballymena leisure centre that has been promised.”
Braid Sinn Fein Cllr Archie Rae said: “There has been a lot of work put into this to get the rate down as far as we can. Yes there is talk that it could go down a wee bit further, but the work that goes on, we have been at this for six months.
"Everybody has their own opinion on things. To actually get the rate down as far as that compared to what it started off at, I think, is about as good as we could get at the moment.”
In response to opposition to the proposed increase, interim chief executive Valerie Watts said that a vote would be taken.
Nineteen councillors voted in favour, with 17 against and one abstention. It was not revealed which councillors voted for, against or abstained.
Projects within the capital plan to be delivered during the next four years in Mid and East Antrim include: Belfast Region City Deal projects. £26.5m; fleet upgrade, £3.2m; Carrickfergus Harbour refurbishment works, £2.8m; St Patrick’s Barracks enabling works, £2.3m; mechanical and electrical improvements in council buildings (Carrickfergus, Larne and Ballymena) £2m; Larne cemetery development (phase one), £1.9m; Seven Towers Leisure Centre refurbishment: £1.8m; new cemetery in Carrickfergus (Trooperslane) land purchase and development, £1.5m; replacement community centre, Broughshane, £1.5m; council contribution to Carnfunnock Country Park upgrade, £1.4m; council contribution to Sub Regional Football Stadia Fund Programme, £943k; Ballymena Showgrounds pitch upgrade: £1.2m.
Michelle Weir, Local Democracy Reporter