Sinn Fein Councillor Sandra Duffy
Following confirmation that rates will rise by 1.81 percent, Cllr. Duffy said additional funds from the Stormont Executive had been crucial in avoiding a much bigger increase.
She commented: “For the second year running, we have been able to strike the lowest rates increase since 1974 which is quite incredible given that less than two years ago we were envisaging a 15 percent increase to cope with the impact of Covid 19.
“That would have been intolerable given the cost of living crisis facing so many workers and families, so we felt it was important to make every effort to keep the rates as low as possible.
“This has been achieved in large part due to £15 million of Executive support since the Covid crisis began, including the provision of an additional £1.86 million within this year’s Rates Support Grant allocation, enabling us to again strike a rate as close to zero as possible without reducing council services or impacting on council jobs.
“The 1.81% rates rise, which also takes into account the regional rates freeze by Sinn Féin Finance Minister Conor Murphy, will allow our council to maintain the delivery of frontline services at current levels, protect the jobs of those council workers delivering those services and also ensures we can cover the statutory pay rises which are currently being negotiated with the trade unions.
“It protects funding for projects such as the rebuild of Templemore and Riversdale Sports Complexes and safeguards match funding for our City Deal tourism and city centre regeneration projects which will create hundreds of jobs over the coming years.
“It also ensures we can proceed with plans for community centres, playparks, greenways and environmental projects across the city and district.”
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