Former Mayor of Derry and Strabane Councillor Brian Tierney
Cllr Tierney was speaking after Aontú councillor Emmett Doyle accused the SDLP of trying to halt progress at City Baths.
He said the party remained fully committed to the work, but had asked for a financial review to understand the impact of the work on potential rates increases in the area.
Said Cllr Tierney said: “The SDLP has always been committed to seeing improvement works carried out at City Baths and have previously fought hard against the closure of this facility or the moving of it to another location.
“We fully support the improvement works and the eventual redevelopment of the site to establish a first class facility for people in this area.
“Given the large financial commitment from council to carry out these improvement works I had requested it to be brought before council’s Financial Working Group to understand the impact it could have on rates increases.
“This would have taken a short time, and given the huge pressure people in this city are under as a result of the cost of living emergency I think it’s vitally important that we do everything we can to help them and avoid placing another financial burden in the form of a rates increase.
“Councillor Doyle would be better off working to address the problems impacting people in our communities than chasing headlines and attempting to twist the SDLP’s well-established positions.
“Everyone in this city knows how committed we are to seeing better facilities put in place for the local community and while others engage in point-scoring we’ll continue working to tackle the issues that matter.”
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