Derry-Strabane Council planning to ‘furlough’ 200 staff

The local authority says the temporary lay-offs will focus on staff who work in Visitor and Museum Services, Leisure Services, the Alley Theatre (Strabane) and casual workers.

Those affected, Councillors heard at a virtual meeting today, will receive 100% of their salary during the period they are on furlough.

John Kelpie, the Council’s chief executive, insisted there would be no change to the employees’ terms and conditions of employment during the furlough period.

He said it was a temporary measure to help council through the current “emergency”.

Mr Kelpie said the ‘furlough’ proposals were not a ‘fait accompli’ as an application for the temporary lay-offs now had to be made to the Treasury.

“We face an extremely challenging situation in the weeks and months ahead,” he added.

Today’s meeting also heard that council was currently losing around £700,000 a month because of the coronavirus pandemic.

It’s estimated that the local authority faces a total financial loss of up to £6.5m. this year as a result of the crisis.

The ‘furlough’ proposal follows confirmation earlier this week that Councils are eligble to temporarily lay off staff as part of the scheme introduced by the government to support businesses and organisations during the coronavirus pandemic.

Councillors also heard that preparations were in place for the “phased” reopening of household recycling centres across the district.