Sinn Fein Councillor Mickey Cooper
Commenting ahead of next week’s council meeting when the annual household charge will be debated, the party’s Local Finance spokesperson said support from the Department for Communities in particular will be crucial to keeping the rate down.
“This has been an unprecedented year both globally and locally as a result of Covid,” said Cllr Cooper.
“When the pandemic struck almost a year ago our local council was fearful that we would be facing a huge rates rise in 2021 to deal with the inevitable financial losses.
“However, by the end of this financial year it is estimated that almost £4.7 million of support will have been provided by the Department for Communities to underwrite council’s financial losses.
“This is in addition to £1.5 million from the same department for Covid Economic recovery programmes and £1.5 million of support for the most vulnerable in society affected by the pandemic.
“In the last week the Communities Minister Deirdre Hargey also announced a further £458,000 of additional Rates Support Grant funding for our council.
“It should also be noted that over £2 million support has been provided by Finance Minister Conor Murphy for City of Derry Airport and £1.5 million for waste management costs.
“Council is, of course, still in a fragile budgetary position because of the massive financial pressure of Covid.
“However, because of this crucial assistance, I believe we are now in a position to strike a balanced rate which allows us to maintain and enhance services, proceed with capital building projects, protect jobs and meet our obligations to staff without placing undue financial pressure on our local citizens.”
