Coronavirus: Translink and NI councils to get emergency funding

Wheelie bins

Bin collections are among councils' responsibilities that have continued during the pandemic

By Jayne McCormack
BBC News NI Political Reporter

NI's public transport network, Translink, is to get funding of £30m to address pressures caused by the Covid-19 pandemic.

It is facing a shortfall of more than £100m due to the lockdown, with a large reduction in passenger numbers.

NI's councils will also get emergency Covid-19 funding of £20.3m from the executive.

Local government officials have said councils are facing a "financial cliff-edge", losing £10.5m a month in income.

While the 11 councils are carrying out essential work, leisure and tourism operations have been put on hold.

On Tuesday, Communities Minister Deirdre Hargey said the executive had agreed to an "immediate intervention" to help councils avoid a cash crisis.

The funding will go to councils to help them address cost pressures between now and the end of June, she added.

Finance Minister Conor Murphy also confirmed he has allocated £30m to the Department for Infrastructure to help Translink with its loss of income.

'Tailored to council needs'

Ms Hargey said the council fund would "provide relief to local councils to protect the delivery of services and ensure councils are ready to play their role".

There have been concerns raised that some councils could soon become insolvent if they do not get funding support.

The minister said the emergency funding would not be dispersed equally among the 11 councils.

"It will be tailored to the needs of each council, and my department will be working with those councils over the next few days," she added.

During the coronavirus pandemic, Translink has still been running a timetable for bus and rail services, with free public transport provided for NHS workers.

Mr Murphy said the new funding would "build on" £20m allocated to Translink in his department's budget for 2020/21.

Milepost98

Translink is facing a shortfall of more than £100m due to the pandemic

The money comes from a £95m fund set aside by the Department of Finance specifically for transport in NI.

In 2015/16, funding provided to Translink by Stormont was cut and its budget has struggled to recover.

In February this year, before the onset of the pandemic, a senior civil servant issued a stark warning about the future of Translink if it did not receive substantial additional funding.

'All councils will have to furlough staff'

Ms Hargey also told the assembly she understood a number of councils in Northern Ireland are still in the process of furloughing some staff.

Belfast City Council is Northern Ireland's biggest, with 60 councillors

Last week, Antrim and Newtownabbey Council voted to place more than half of its staff on the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme.

The scheme allows employers to temporarily lay off staff while the government pays 80% of their wages during the crisis, and has been extended until October.

Mid Ulster District Council is already using the scheme for almost 40% of its workforce.

Suzanne Wylie, Belfast City Council's chief executive, has said all 11 councils will have to furlough at least some of their staff.

Senior Sinn Féin and Ulster Unionist politicians have said councils should retain as many members of their workforce as possible.

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