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A last minute U-turn on a proposed waste disposal charge has been made for local businesses in the Newry, Mourne and Down District Council area.
Newry, Mourne and Down District Council’s environment committee had raised the levy on use of its household recycling centres (HRCs) to recoup local authority costs for disposing of retail and trade waste.
However, the increase in business charges was reversed at the monthly meeting this week before it could be ratified due to concerns that councillors were not seen as “honest brokers”.
Slieve Gullion councillor Pete Byrne said: “Obviously there was a recent vote around the collection of commercial waste at HRCs with an increase of 5% in charges.
“However, we just set the rates process for all costs to run the directorates for the next ahead, and this didn’t come up. It worries me, when we strike a rate with businesses struggling already and weeks afterwards we increase costs on the ratepayer for their waste, that simply can’t happen.
“I propose that we reverse that decision on the 5% uplift. This is about how we are perceived by the public, we need to be honest brokers to the people.
“Putting on further costs after the rates are set is just not acceptable, we should adsorb the cost now and look at it again next year.”
A report at last month’s environment committee identified higher costs for bin services coming into force from April at an increase of 5%, the first hike in two years.
The prices in concern are about an increase for commercial waste to HRCs and trade kerbside collections.
A majority in chambers (7 to 6) approved the new increase with only Sinn Fein elected members supporting the rise.
An attempt had been made by Mournes councillor Henry Reilly at the committee to amend the charges for trailer vehicles into the council HRCs, but was withdrawn in order for a report to be brought back to the committee.
However, Councillor Reilly reacted to the new cost rise saying: “I’ll just say I am very disappointed that Sinn Fein have put another bin tax on us.”
In chambers this week, Slieve Gullion councillor Martin Hearty said: “This came up at the environment committee and we were told that if the increase in costs wasn’t agreed to there would be a drop in the service itself.
“Will this have an affect on the service? If we defer the commercial costs will it still have an increase effect on the ratepayer?”
A council officer responded: “Just to clarify the HRC commercial and trade waste charges are based on cost recovery for the services provided.
“It is based on the person who is generating the waste.
“The charges wouldn’t have an impact on the service provision, but it will have an impact on the service cost.
“It is about cost recovery, so it will not have an impact on the actual rate setting.
“It will be something we can continue looking at for next year. As this is about cost recovery it will now have to be absorbed into the revenue budgets.”
