Mid and East Antrim Council in ‘best possible position’ to deal with pandemic-related financial issues

According to the borough council’s head of finance, the gross annual budget is almost £68m. Of this, 73 per cent or almost £50m is funded by domestic and business rates.

A report to council stated: “From the beginning of the Covid-19 emergency the chief financial officer has ensured that the council are in the best possible position to deal with all financial issues arising from the emergency.”

However, councillors were told this has “resulted in some far-reaching and difficult decisions”. During a meeting of the borough council remotely on Monday evening, they were briefed behind closed doors by chief executive Anne Donaghy about financial pressures facing the local authority.

They have also been advised “the focus remains to strike a sustainable rate for the borough”.

Councillors were also told the “full amount of rates will be covered for 20/21 by the Department if there is a shortfall whether business or domestic rates from non-payment”.

However, they were informed the Department (for Communities) has “given no indication at this stage that it will the same level of protection in relation to unpaid business or domestic rates for the year ahead”.

Bannside TUV Councillor Timothy Gaston said: “It is good to see this on the agenda early in the year. I believe we should look at revenue first. We heard in closed council the difficulties that exist with Covid.”

In February, rates were struck by Mid and East Antrim Borough Council which saw a 1.74 per cent increase in domestic bills and a 2.9 per cent increase in non-domestic bills (read more here)

The council said the rate was aimed at “mitigating the financial burden on residents and businesses whilst ensuring high quality frontline services and the delivery of major investments planned in Mid and East Antrim”.

The amalgamated Mid and East Antrim Council inherited a debt of £67m which has been reduced to £63m.

The council’s portion of the rates amounts to 48 per cent of the rates bills received by residents and businesses in Mid and East Antrim with the remainder set by the Stormont Executive.

Michelle Weir, Local Democracy Reporter.

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