£20.3m to help council’s cope with ‘annihilation

That’s according to Northern Ireland Local Government Association President, Frances Burton, after the Communities Minister Deirdre Hargey announced the lifeline this week.

“This is welcome funding which will help alleviate some immediate pressures across our 11 local councils. Working with all councils, NILGA and chief officers have outlined the income annihilation that local government has suffered and will suffer solely due to COVID-19.

“The pressures on councils right now are huge and mounting daily,” said Ms. Burton.

SDLP MLA Mark H Durkan MLA also welcomed the bail-out.

“The dire financial outlook of our councils threatened the most basic of council services, which many of us take for granted, including bin collection, street cleaning and burials. The impact of these services having to stop on our local communities would have been unconscionable” he said.

Announcing the funding Ms. Hargey said: “This funding will help assist councils with their cash flow and support them in the delivery of the vital services they are providing to the community at this time but will also help ensure that they are ready to play their key role in our post-pandemic recovery and limit the financial impact on ratepayers going forward.”