Write a commentFunding made available by Environment Minister Mark H Durkan to Newry Mourne and Down Council for further Rates Support has been welcomed by Downpatrick Councillor, Colin McGrath.
The decision means the council will receive an additional £290,570.
Cllr McGrath said: “In the current climate of cuts and efficiency savings forced as a result of the Austerity Budget passed by the DUP and Sinn Féin at Stormont, local councils have been faced with extreme financial pressures. These pressures have posed a very serious threat to public services and despite our protests, the Executive chose not to ringfence council grants, instead passing their cuts down the line.
“Our district is in the very centre of the Belfast – Dublin Corridor. We need to have the resources and the flexibility to make the most of that. The cuts passed down posed a very real threat to our ability to build on our potential and face down the threat of public service cuts head on.
“I want to pay tribute to Mark H Durkan for his substantial efforts to mitigate and reverse these cuts. Those efforts now mean that Newry, Mourne and Down will receive an additional £290,570 to address the financial pressure that we face. This district faces very real challenges to reduce unemployment, tackle deprivation and create lasting prosperity for people here. The SDLP is up to that task and this announcement is indicative of a commitment to people here.”
