'We did the best we could' say DUP grouping

“The striking of the rate this year, as in the past, has been achieved after many hours of hard work by the DUP councillors and officers on Ballymoney. At 7.46% for the domestic rate, because of the freezing of the regional rate, the net effect on rates will be a rise of 3.5%.

“This is in fact the twelfth year that the DUP has proposed the rate in Ballymoney and it is our belief that without our contribution that the current rate, cumulatively over the years, would now be significantly higher, in this the second smallest council in Northern Ireland. Ballymoney ratepayers, because of the work done, do not have the highest rates in Northern Ireland. In fact, we remain in 13th position of the 26 councils with one being the lowest rate and 26 the highest, so it is true we are still in the lower half as we were last year, though it is appreciated only just. It has always been our desire to keep rates as low as reasonably possible.

“The same desire to keep rates to a minimum applies to the DUP in Stormont who, as has already referred to, have frozen the regional rate increase there at 0%, meaning that for the third year over half of the potential rate increase will not be applied. The threat of new water charges, as made under direct rule, has also not been applied. This is an evident advantage of having local power in the hands of local people.

“As a party we fully appreciate the support which other parties within council gave to our proposals to reduce the rate increase and also the work which they put in, both by attendance at the several rates meetings and, in some cases, like ourselves, outside of the meetings. Last year through officer and member efforts potential increase was reduced by approximately 25% and this year, by the same efforts, we have seen potential increases reduced by over 15%.

“This is a case of councillors getting on with things instead of being taken in by those who would talk of crisis. Pressures on the rates remain unavoidable however, such as salary requirements, building maintenance needs and money required for landfill site closure .

“In striking the rate our party considered service requirements of the council, the needs of people to have as low a rate as possible and the desire to have something to show from the rates in the form of projects which will be for the betterment of the entire community. In trying to do this not one budget within a 46 page booklet went without examination.

“We believe that in setting the rate as it is, we have achieved the best balance we could for all three considerations, which will become evident as time progresses, particularly in the projects front. Not only has money been set aside for the Robert Dunlop Memorial Garden and for work at the Riverside park but other projects are planned for other parts of the borough which will become evident in due course.

“The budgets requested for the District Policing Partnership and Community Relations were not touched, as a sign of our commitment to the important work done in these areas and the funding for Community festivals also remains in place. Councillors conference budget has also again been cut to what must surely be the lowest in Northern Ireland, if it was not that already.

“It has been of advantage to have the large D.U.P. grouping within council as there is no doubt that it provided some degree of stability in this arduous process and certainty in the decision making process. We are pleased however for the support from the majority of the other parties who were content not to play politics on the rates issue, as it is easy to do, but to reach a corporate decision based on what is best for the borough and for this we give our thanks.

“In closing, we honestly believe we have done the best we could, without cutting all new projects and existing budgets, so that the borough could positively develope and necessary services would not be negatively affected. We firmly believe that, taken over a number of years, the rates set in Ballymoney compare favourably to other council areas and we will continue in our pledge to keep them as low as reasonably possible for all the people of this borough for as long as this council remains.