Council’s Furlough pay claims revealed

John Balmer, Deputy Director of Finance and Capital, told a meeting of the council’s Policy and Governance Committee on Wednesday evening that 400 staff members had been placed on furlough.

He noted that 700 employees are paid each month.

In an update to members, councillors were told that the local authority is now in a better financial position than pre-Covid.

It has 276 “active” contracts and 69 tenders completed for projects “from the crematorium to summer bedding plants across a full range of council services”.

Work has commenced on the new £5m crematorium at Doagh Road in Newtownabbey which is due for completion in December 2022.

Mr Balmer went on to say that all council functions had to be maintained during Covid.

“This led to a massive hole in council income generation. That was when members implemented emergency financial planning. Part of emergency planning included deferring capital projects.

“Emergency financial planning has left council in a healthy financial position.” he reported.

He also spoke of “new financial pressures” which have arisen, he said, “mostly from the Ukraine situation with high energy prices and inflation”.

“The challenges have just changed. They have not gone away but we are in a good position, a better position than pre-Covid.”

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