Council Approves District Rates Increase Of 1.48%

A below inflation district rates increase of 1.48% has been approved by the Belfast City Council.

The move is the first rise in four years.

With inflation forecast at 1.7% according to the Treasury, the increase is less than the regional rate set by the Northern Ireland Executive which is in line with inflation (1.7%).

The council also agreed a new efficiency target of £2m a year for the next three years.

The effect on ratepayers in Belfast on average will be 33p per month for terraced houses, 50p for three-bedroom semi-detached houses and £1.12 for four bedroom detached homes.

The business sector will see, on average, an increase of £8.67 per month for office and £8.46 for retail.

However, Alliance Councillor Nuala McAllister slammed the UUP for time wasting, after their proposal was deemed "not competent" and thrown out, as Belfast City Council struck the rate for the coming year.

The North Belfast representative spoke out as the UUP failed to back up its call for a 0% increase.

Councillor McAllister said: "What we heard from the UUP in the chamber was a dangerous stunt that could have had a dire impact on Belfast ratepayers.

"It is worrying just how far they were prepared to go to engineer headlines - a move that was only stopped when the proposal was deemed not competent by officers and disallowed by the Lord Mayor.

"And even when Alliance gave them a final opportunity by suggesting a short suspension to allow them to circulate their proposals, Councillor Rodgers then admitted they had nothing down in black and white.

"They are acting completely irresponsibly, with a complete lack of thought of the misery they could inflict on ratepayers. What leisure centres were they prepared to close? Would they prefer our bins are only collected once a month? Will they be happy to see street bins overflowing?

"The Alliance Party won't abandon the ratepayers of Belfast and while we remain open to alternative cost-saving measures going forward, we aren't prepared to gamble with the future of local services."

(CD/LM)