Belfast Council In 2nd Successive Rates Freeze

Belfast City Council has agreed to freeze the district rate for 2014/15.

The decision marks the first time in the council's 41-year history that there has been no increase for two successive years.

Alderman Gavin Robinson, chair of the council’s Strategic Policy and Resources Committee, said: "We are fully aware that many of our businesses and citizens continue to face difficult economic times and uncertainty and tonight’s rates freeze is an indication of our willingness to provide support and help.

"A zero increase is effectively a two per cent cut in real terms when inflation is considered and when taken with last year’s rates freeze, when inflation was 2.7 per cent, amounts to almost a five per cent reduction in the district rate during the past two years.

"It is vital that the council gets the balance right between not overburdening our ratepayers in the current economic climate and ensuring we can still invest in the city to support the recovery and continue to provide excellent, value for money services.

"To that end, the main reason we have been able to achieve the rates freeze is due to our efficiency programme that has now realised £18m of savings during the past seven years and will meet the target of £20 million by the end of the 2015 period."

SDLP Group leader in Belfast City Council Tim Attwood said: "The unanimous decision by Council for a zero rate increase, in effect a 2% decrease when you take inflation into consideration, shows that Council is responding to needs of Belfast ratepayers.

"Despite the freeze in the rates, Council is still able to deliver improved services for Belfast. We are delivering on our commitments in the £150m investment package both at local level and city wide levels, as demonstrated by the extension to the Waterfront Hall.

"We are securing more permanent jobs in Council and creating hundreds of placement opportunities. We are committing £105m in upgrading our health and leisure facilities."

(IT/CD)