Councils are to receive a further £17million to help alleviate lost income and assist with Covid-19 costs, Communities Minister Deirdre Hargey has announced.
Welcoming the allocation of £17m to NI councils by the Communities Minister, NILGA Chief Executive Alison Allen said:
“This is a welcome intervention from the Communities Minister and will boost our 11 local councils across Northern Ireland at a time of financial strain. Due to factors like the pandemic and the unsustainable way in which councils here are funded, local government in Northern Ireland is financially stretched. While a longer-term and more sustainable way of funding our councils should be prioritised by the Executive, funding allocations like this are vital in the delivery of key public services and in offsetting the significant impact that Covid-19 has had on our councils.
“Ahead of the upcoming Assembly election, however, it is vital that all political parties and candidates commit to a new deal for local government in Northern Ireland, one which puts our councils on a more secure and confident financial footing in the long term, and transfers and transforms key functions like regeneration and planning, so councils can deliver more for their local communities.”
