Parties Clash As Mid Ulster Council Strikes Rate

Parties Clash As Mid Ulster Council Strikes Rate

- Caoimhe Hegarty

MID Ulster District Council has struck the rate for the coming year in what it has described as ‘most challenging budget-setting year to date.’

At the special meeting held last Monday night, the council agreed the new rate of 2.98%, which equates to an increase of 97p per month for an average ratepayer, having originally faced adverse financial pressures amounting to over £3.3M which would have brought a 7.2% increase if unaddressed.

An anticipated cut in the Rates Support Grant which is payable by central government to less wealthy councils is to cost Mid Ulster nearly £325,000, while the continued effect of costs associated with the disposal of waste for both landfill and recycling, employer costs and inflation all contributed to the financial pressures faced by the council.

Only by absorbing costs, applying savings across its services, together with increases in leisure and parks income targets and the revision of opening hours at leisure centres, was the council able to off set the negative impact by over £1.1M.

Despite the challenges, the council has re-stated its commitment to investing in the future of the facilities and services for which it is responsible, together with a continued positive influence on the growth generally of the Mid Ulster district.

Only 43% of the rates local people pay go towards funding council services. The remaining 57% funds services provided by central government, like roads, education, and health and social care.