The former Chair of the Ulster Unionist Party Councillors’ Association, Trevor Wilson, has warned that local councils need help from Stormont, after it was revealed that the Finance Department does not plan to pass on £50m of funding that Northern Ireland is entitled to following the award of £1.6billion to councils in England.
Councillor Trevor Wilson said:
“Just over a week ago the Government announced that Councils across England would receive another £1.6billion in additional funding as they continue to respond to the coronavirus pandemic.
“As a result of the Barnett formula, Northern Ireland was entitled to £50m, and quite understandably, local councils in Northern Ireland were expecting to receive this funding.
“However, the local Finance Department has issued a statement making it clear that local councils in Northern Ireland will not be given this money
“Councils in Northern Ireland are struggling to cope with the impact of coronavirus, not least because of the impact on their rates base due to the freeze on business and domestic rates.
“If Councils are not going to get this £50m then the Finance Minister needs to tell us – and sooner rather than later – just what assistance he is going to give to local councils, because if he does not, then once again it will be the ratepayers who suffer.”