More warnings over DDC merger

More warnings over DDC merger

6 February 2013 - by BY DAVID TELFORD

ANOTHER warning has been issued that Down Council will be forced to abandon its plans for growth across the district if the Stormont Executive doesn’t pay for the merger with its neighbour in Newry and Mourne.

Down Council chairman Mickey Coogan said while politicians in both council areas agree the Executive should foot the cost of the exercise, their respective party colleagues at the Assembly are refusing to provide the funds.

Last week, Down councillors warned the cost of the merger could financially cripple local ratepayers if the Executive doesn’t finance the move. Both councils are to merge as part of sweeping local government reforms under the review of public administration. Twenty six district councils will slashed to just 11.

The estimated cost of Down’s merger in 2015 with Newry and Mourne is £7.6m, with the Executive only prepared to pay £1m towards the cost of the exercise. That leaves Down and Newry and Mourne councils facing a bill of £3.3m each.

Councillor Coogan said the obvious question is who represents the party view on paying for the council merger, councillors or MLAs?

He continued: “If people think this issue is unimportant and that it will have no impact on them then they need to think again. If the Executive doesn’t pay, the decision will have a huge impact on every citizen in Down District in terms of rates and service provision.

“If we are forced to meet these costs without any support from Stormont we will have to introduce a massive rates increase and there will be a drastic reduction in services,” Councillor Coogan declared.

The chairman said Down Council is in the process of striking a new district rate and, as always, is trying to keep the rate down while trying to deliver a range of key services, such as waste collection and street cleansing.

“There are other services which we feel are essential such as external funding to help sustain the local economy and social well-being. There is always a case to be made for worthy projects and there is always a genuine debate as to what we would like to do and what we can do,” he explained.

“This is local government working at its best with what it has and while this is painful and frustrating at times when the local authority can’t fund a worthy project, it is nonetheless necessary.”

The council chairman warned if there is no support from Stormont to pay for the merger, then this process could be abandoned for the next decade, with councils delivering a minimum service and implementing double digit rates increases.