UUP and Sinn Féin react to rates increase in Mid Ulster Council

The UUP grouping claimed the increase in the rates will see residents paying higher rates while there is a reduction in services.

The Council announced on Monday night that it has held the rates increase to below inflation to 7.3% for domestic customers, while the non-domestic rate increase was held at 4.32%.

The UUP grouping said in a statement today that they proposed a new rate of 4.5% which they believed could have been achieved by more efficient saving. However, they claim this was rejected by Sinn Féin and the SDLP.

The satement continues: "Sinn Fein proposal of 7.3% increase was once again supported by the SDLP. This increase will hit ratepayers and businesses once again during what is already a difficult time for everyone.

"as the increase last year imposed by these two parties not enough? it seems not. What the people of our district will see is they are paying higher rates while there is a reduction in services.

"Both these parties voted to introduce car parking charges into Cookstown, grass cutting within all 30 mph limits in towns and villages will now cease and a reduction in the number of amenity sites across the council area will now be closed. These are in Maghera, Coalisland, Moneymore, Fivemiletown, Draperstown and Castledawson.

“Sinn Fein and the SDLP blame the Westminster Government, they blame Brexit and have blamed the Ulster Unionist Party for doing what is right. We,as a party have always put the needs of our ratepayers first and by keeping the rates as low as possible. This however doesn’t seem to apply to the two main Nationalist parties.

“These two parties can blame everyone and try to take the bad look of themselves but the reality is that Sinn Fein and the SDLP have imposed yet again another high rates increase on the people and business in Mid Ulster with their policy of higher rates while cutting services.”

Speaking after Mid Ulster councillors voted to set the rates Sinn Féin Councillor Cathal Mallaghan said: “The DUP’s refusal to form an Executive has left local councils with much reduced government support for rates and left public services at the mercy of savage Tory budget cuts from London.

“Mid Ulster District Council, like all local authorities here, is facing significant financial pressures because of years of Tory austerity cuts, Brexit, soaring energy costs and the cost-of-living crisis.

“Our priority has been to maintain and deliver fair pay rises for council workers, protect jobs and ensure that economic investment and work to transform Mid-Ulster can continue.

“Sinn Féin worked with other parties to minimise the burden on households by keeping the increase down to 62p per week for the average bill.

“We have also protected essential council services such as waste collection, sports, arts and leisure facilities, environmental projects and support for community and voluntary organisations who provide services for communities and improve the lives of all our citizens.”