Derry's council to receive an additional £750,000 to help offset losses caused by the pandemic

Derry City and Strabane District Council is to receive a further £750,000 to help it cope with the impact of the pandemic.

The money is being allocated through the Rates Support Grant from the Northern Ireland Executive.

It is part of an additional £4m being distributed to councils in Northern Ireland.

Council finances have been hit hard by the pandemic, with local authorities facing huge losses as a result of rates holidays for businesses.

Communities Minister Deirdre Hargey said the £4m payment in Rates Support Grant for 2020/21 will be of great assistance to councils as they continue to work to support their local communities.

“In addition, I have also demonstrated my support to councils throughout the pandemic having provided additional Covid-19 funding of £85.3m throughout 2020/21.

“Local government have played such an instrumental role throughout the pandemic and I thank them for their hard work.

“The ‘Councils Make it Happen’ campaign by NILGA clearly demonstrates the very active and important role of local government which has been vitally important in the past year and will continue to be as we recover from the social and economic impacts of the pandemic.”

A Rates Support Grant provides financial support to eligible councils whose needs exceed their wealth as determined by statutory formula.

Seven of the 11 councils are eligible. These are the allocations they will be receiving:

Armagh, Banbridge and Craigavon – £620,575

Causeway Coast and Glens - £546,104

Derry and Strabane - £753,552

Fermanagh and Omagh - £225,321

Mid and East Antrim – £630,177

Mid Ulster - £850,433

Newry, Mourne and Down - £373,838