A Sinn Fein councillor has urged councillors to back proposals that would add almost £70,000 to a hardship fund created to ease the cost of living crisis in Derry.
Derry City and Strabane District Council's outgoing Deputy Mayor, Christopher Jackson, said the fund could be boosted by almost £70,000 under a proposal to be voted on this Tuesday (June 6).
Cllr Jackson said: “End of year reports show that the Council now has £68,000 in funding which can still be utilised."
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“This has been made possible by the huge financial assistance provided by the Executive during the Covid crisis to ensure all councils across the north could continue to provide essential services and deliver capital projects," he added.
“In normal circumstances, such funding would be added to the council’s reserves to cover unforeseen financial pressures that may emerge in the coming months.
“However, given the huge pressure that workers and families are facing due to the cost-of-living crisis, Sinn Féin is proposing that this money be added to the council’s local hardship fund to provide assistance to those in need.
“I hope that councillors from across the political spectrum will support this approach when it comes before the committee on Tuesday.”
However, Aontu councillor, Emmet Doyle criticised the Sinn Fein for rejecting proposals that would've seen Chair and Deputy Chair allowances surrendered and added to fund.
He added: “Any addition to the hardship fund is welcome, such as my proposal to add almost £50,000 arising from the finance saved from rejecting a pay rise for councillors, but when Sinn Fein was asked to go further and surrender chair and deputy chair allowances to add to the fund they rejected the proposal out of hand.”
A vote will be held on Sinn Fein's proposal at a meeting of the Governance and Strategic Planning Committee.
Meanwhile, a meeting is to be held in the city this week about the cost of living crisis facing families.
A new campaign has been launched amid fears that the Cost of Living crisis will see families go hungry and cold over the coming winter.
The campaign is planning a series of public meetings across the region over the next few weeks, starting with in the Playhouse, Derry this coming Wednesday, June 8 at 7.00pm.
Campaign spokesperson Goretti Horgan, who is vice-chair of the NI Anti Poverty Network, said: “Politicians have known for some time that this cost of living crisis was coming.
“We need to see significant increases in benefit levels and wage rises that are in line with or above inflation rates.
“We need to build a mass campaign across all communities in the North to ensure the kind of pressure needed from below to force the kinds of upratings of benefits and wage rises needed if families are to avoid destitution.
“That starts in Derry on Wednesday night in the Playhouse and in other towns in the coming weeks.”
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