Councils are to receive a further £17million to help alleviate lost income and assist with Covid-19 costs, Communities Minister Deirdre Hargey has announced.
The additional financial support, which will be provided to councils this month takes the total Department for Communities allocation to more than £102m between 2020 and 2022.
Making the announcement during a visit to Mid Ulster District Council, Minister Hargey said: “Councils have continued to face significant financial challenges as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic. This additional financial support in 2021/22 will help to further alleviate Councils’ lost income and Covid-19 costs, and ensure Councils can continue to positively contribute to local economic, social and environmental recovery.
“This funding brings the total support from my Department to councils to £102m to alleviate lost income. This funding, along with other initiatives introduced across councils to support their community, businesses, villages, towns and city centres demonstrates my commitment to partnership working for the benefit of all our citizens.”
Work has been ongoing between the Department for Communities, Society of Local Authority Chief Executives (SOLACE) NI and the Association of Local Government Finance Officers (ALGFO) to identify the exceptional losses and costs that councils have incurred or estimated to be incurred as a consequence of Covid-19 during 2021/22.
