Coulter queries Regional Rates Value For Money
Rev Dr Robert Coulter, the Ulster Unionist Party Assembly member for North Antrim and UUP Stormont Commissioner, has revealed that in the past five years Ballymena and Ballymoney had contributed almost £100 million to the Province’s Regional Rates.
And Dr Coulter, who is UUP Health Spokesman, posed the question – what has the constituency gained locally from this money?
The UUP MLA added: “The local domestic and business rate is retained by the councils, but the regional rate goes to Stormont to underwrite the services of the Northern Ireland Departments.
“In the past five years, Ballymena and Ballmoney Council areas have contributed £98.35 million – almost £100 million – to the regional rates. That is £100 million which is going out of this area and I ask another question – just how much are we getting back?
“I am increasingly of the opinion that a proportion of these regional rates should be seen to be spent locally.
“I do not believe that Ballymena and Ballymoney have had £100 million worth of reinvestment from the Ministers of the Northern Ireland Executive and their predecessors, the Direct Rule Ministers. I would take a lot of persuading that this was the case.
“The only way for this to be sorted out would be for an audit to be carried out of the benefits our two council districts have had from central expenditure.
“No doubt we will hear a great deal about travel to work areas and other clap-trap like that. The people I represent want to know more about where their regional rates are being spent and just what the Executive in Stormont is doing with the money which benefits local people here in North Antrim.
“We could not hold the Direct Rule Ministers to account, but we can and will hold the Executive Ministers to account,” said Assemblyman Dr Coulter.