Other News In Brief

Green Party Welcomes Audit Office Intervention In Fuel Poverty Hardship Fund

The Green Party has welcomed news of the Audit Office intervention in Fuel poverty hardship fund.

Green Party Councillor Anthony Flynn said "We welcome news today that the Audit Office has launched an investigation into Belfast City council's use of Strategic partners regarding the fuel poverty hardship fund.

"We were clear from the outset that we didn't think the strategic partners were the appropriate mechanism to get these vouchers out to those most in need, we raised concerns specifically around capacity and other risks associated with using these groups. These groups were selected during Covid at a very difficult time, and we have called for a review of those groups.

"We also raised concerns around the eligibility criteria that was set by Sinn Fein and the DUP, with an arbitrary household income limit set at £60k was not appropriate. We argued that it should have been set at £43,400 based on Joseph Rowntree Foundations minimum income to achieve a decent standard of living report, something Sinn Fein and the DUP ignored.

"Belfast City Council should not have to develop a scheme like this, but because of the vacuum left by the lack of Stormont and the failure of executive parties to deliver adequate help and support for communities through an NI-wide scheme, backed up by a fuel poverty strategy, an anti-poverty strategy and an energy strategy, we have been left in a situation trying to plug gaps because of the failure of others."

'Serious Concerns' Over DfI's Ability To Deliver Winter Services

SDLP Infrastructure Spokesperson, Mark H Durkan, has expressed "serious concern" that the delivery of winter services will be impacted by the Department for Infrastructure's (DfI) budgetary pressures.

Following a briefing with departmental officials last week, it was revealed there is an allocation of £4 million to deliver winter services for 2022/23, despite a £6.63 million expenditure for gritting roads over the 2021/22 winter period. The department previously stated that this year's cost of gritting salt was expected to rise by 22%.

Speaking as the Met Office issues yellow warning for ice and snow across Northern Ireland, Mr Durkan said: "It is patently clear that budget pressures are severely limiting the department's ability to respond to the demand for winter services. The potential consequences on road safety doesn't bear thinking about. In December we witnessed a week of icy weather, weather which in my opinion, the local roads provision was not sufficiently equipped to deal with. My office was inundated with requests for grit box refills which couldn't be accommodated and roads went untreated as the staff were forced to prioritise blue light and main routes. Access to grit during these periods was like gold dust. As prices for salt increases, that's unlikely to change.

"This is by no means a reflection of the great work carried out by DfI staff on a daily basis. They've been forced to meet increasing demands on a greatly diminished budget and that's a reality which applies right across the board, affecting not just winter services but pothole repairs, resurfacing works and road safety measures to name a few.

"At last week's cross-party briefing, department officials outlined in no uncertain terms that the finite £4million budget for winter services would have significant implications on future planning for adverse weather conditions. It doesn't get much starker than this, increased disruption and risk of danger on our roads this winter is the reality. We need an Executive in place to mitigate these risks and prevent government departments from making not just incredibly tough decisions but decisions which up until now, would've been deemed unthinkable. MLAs need to get back to work to deal with this and the multitude of other issues piling up as a direct result of the DUP's Stormont boycott."

Cross-Party Group Meet To Discuss Budget Pressures

Alliance Party Communities Spokesperson, Kellie Armstrong, has hosted a cross-party meeting to discuss the Budget for 2022/23 and 2023/24.

Strangford MLA Ms Armstrong, the former Vice-Chair of the Communities Committee, said she had called the meeting to hear first hand the pressures officials are facing as they are planning the Budget.

"Despite the Assembly and Executive currently being deadlocked, I called this meeting to enable all parties who were part of the previous Communities Committee to come together to get an understanding of the financial pressures this year and next," she said.

"We also heard from Les Allamby, Chair of the Independent Review Panel on Welfare Mitigations, whose report can provide opportunities to help those on low incomes and those experiencing difficulty making their salary meet their living expenses.

"When Government is restored, parties will be working together to deliver a more limited public service as a result of a devastating Budget. It was important we were able to consider the implications together today. I hope it is the first of more such collaborations."