Derry and Strabane Council faces £6.5 million loss in revenue over COVID-19
Last week, senior local government officials said they were facing a “financial cliff-edge”, with councils losing about £10.5m a month in income.
Derry City and Strabane District Council says it is set to lose around £6.5 million in revenue this year.
It has placed 200 staff on furlough because of the drop in revenue because of Coronavirus.
But it is not year clear how much of the £20.3 million will be earmarked for Derry and Strabane.
While the councils is still carrying out essential work, leisure and tourism operations have been put on hold.
Communities Minister Deirdre Hargey said the executive had agreed to an “immediate intervention” to avoid a cash crisis.
The funding will go to councils to help them address cost pressures between now and the end of June, the communities minister added.
“It will provide relief to local councils to protect the delivery of services and ensure councils are ready to play their role,” she told the Stormont Aassembly.
There have been concerns raised that some councils could soon become insolvent if they do not get funding support.
Ms Hargey said the emergency funding would not be dispersed equally among the 11 councils.
“It will be tailored to the needs of each council, and my department will be working with those councils over the next few days,” she added.
The minister also said she understood a number of councils were still in the process of furloughing some staff.
