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Belfast Live
Belfast Live
National
Conor Coyle

Fermanagh & Omagh council approves rates rise of over 5%

Fermanagh and Omagh District council has approved a domestic rates rise of more than 5%.

At a special meeting on Thursday, all major political parties represented in the local council voted to approve council officers' proposal of a 5.59% in household rates.

Rates for business properties will increase by 7.45% for the upcoming financial year.

READ MORE: Mid Ulster sees rate rise of more than 7% as services reduced

Rates are a property tax paid by households and businesses in Northern Ireland.

The overall rate which residents pay is based on the district rate set by local councils and the regional rate which is usually set by the Northern Ireland Assembly.

This increase is expected to add around £21 to the yearly bill of those whose property has a rateable value of £100,000 in the council area.

The 5.59% rise in domestic rates is among the lowest that has been confirmed across NI's eleven council areas so far.

With 31 councillors voting to approve the rates rise, five voted against and independent councillors spoke out against it.

Council chief executive Alison McCullagh defended the local authority's decision to provide loans to other district councils, describing it as 'good financial practice'.

The chief executive also said a 0% rise in rates would lead to a loss of 70 jobs and 'significant disruption' of council services.

Voicing his approval for the rates rise, Sinn Féin group leader Tommy Maguire said councillors needed to present the reality of increased costs to constituents.

"I think any councillor that has any reality at all knows that we have to present to our constituents the reality that with double digit inflation, our staff have done as fine a job as they could," Cllr Maguire said.

"The people out there are realistic, they understand that we are under the same pressure as their household budgets. Any businessman out there realises the pressures the council is under.

"I think that we have done the best job that we possibly can."

Some councillors said initial proposals from council officers suggested a domestic rates rise of between 10% and 12%

UUP councillor Victor Warrington said the rates rise was justified, and hit out at those who spoke out against the rise as using the issue as an 'electioneering stunt'.

"We are going to be one of the lowest, if not the lowest when the rates are struck," Cllr Warrington said.

"Talk is cheap and a lot of what has been said before by other members, I think it's nothing only a cheap electioneering stunt to voice their concerns here tonight whenever they had every opportunity to discuss them previously."

Independent councillors had voiced their disapproval for the rates rise, including Cllr Emmet McAleer.

"I am not going to be supporting the additional pressures being imposed on families across this district in a cost of living crisis," Cllr McAleer said.

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