A rates freeze at City Hall has been ruled out without outside help
Belfast City Council is requesting financial support from Stormont and Westminster to prevent a huge rates increase next year for residents and businesses in the city.
“People Before Profit is the only party to have consistently opposed yearly rates hikes. Rate payers are already struggling to make ends meet and cannot afford to meet the additional costs of councils.” The original motion states: “This council recognises the impact the rising cost of living crisis will have on council expenditure, and the pressure this will put on our existing budgets to deliver the same high-quality services. The council also recognises the crisis we face and will demand a heightened and increased response from local government.
“The council views any effort to increase rates as a response to these financial pressures as counter intuitive. Any move to increase rates during a cost-of-living crisis will only exacerbate problems for working class communities. It would lead to a further hike in already mounting household bills and could force more people into poverty.
Sinn Féin Councillor Ronan McLaughlin said: “If you look at stand-alone costs for next year without any growth proposals, it is £6.3 million for a pay rise, £3.8 million on another pay rise, £4.1 million on a CPI increase on our waste management contracts. To just take these three in isolation - and that is without even talking about rising energy costs and a review on salary scales - that is £14 million.
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