Council applies 'modest' rates increase, one of lowest in Northern Ireland

At a Special Council Meeting held on Monday 9 February, Antrim and Newtownabbey Borough Council struck the annual rate for 2026/27, applying a ‘modest’ increase of 2.99% to the district rates.

This is thought to be one of the lowest rates increases across all councils.

The increase, which is lower than the current rate of inflation, equates to an increase of £14.67 per year or £0.28 pence per week for an average household.

Antrim and Newtownabbey Borough Council said it has ‘continually achieved the lowest average district rates increase in Northern Ireland since the Local Government Reform in 2015’.

A spokesperson said: “Through meticulous financial management, elected members and council officers have worked tirelessly to keep the rates as low as possible, recognising the ongoing financial pressures on businesses and residents across the Borough.

“The council remains firmly committed to providing high-quality, sustainable services for residents and will continue to invest in modern infrastructure to meet the needs of our growing communities.

“Antrim and Newtownabbey Borough has recently been named as one of the UK’s Top 10 locations for high growth business potential and the strongest performing region in Northern Ireland.

“This accolade is confirmation of the council’s unique attitude to economic growth and the exceptional proposition in Antrim and Newtownabbey.

“It also underpins the council’s commitment to achieving a prosperous and sustainable Borough.”

Speaking on the striking of the rates, the Mayor of Antrim and Newtownabbey Councillor Leah Kirkpatrick said, “Antrim and Newtownabbey Borough Council remains steadfast in its commitment to maintaining a low increase to the rates.

“A 2.99% increase will allow us to maintain our essential services while still driving economic growth and enhancing our services, ensuring our Borough is a prime location to live, work, invest and visit.”

At the meeting on Monday night, DUP Airport Alderman Matthew Magill said he was ‘very happy’ to move the recommendation and congratulated elected reps, council directors, officers and staff for their hard work in keeping a rates increase low.

He said it was ‘hopefully one of lowest increases across all Northern Ireland councils’.

Alderman Magill said that the council had continually achieved the lowest average rates increases since the ‘supercouncil’ mergers in 2015.

“We can be proud of the work that has been done...this meticulous financial management...has ensured that ratepayers do get value for money.

“I look forward to the year ahead and the various projects, programmes and capital works and all we do in council.”

Seconding, Sinn Fein Councillor Eamonn McLaughlin said that residents and local businesses were facing rising costs and financial uncertainty.

He said that the low rise would have a ‘positive impact across the borough’ and make it a better place to live, work and do business.

Alliance Councillor Billy Webb agreed that constituents were facing every-increasing prices and thanked the staff for their ‘phenomenal amount of work’.

UUP Alderman Mark Cosgrove, said that the figure represented ‘outstanding value for money’ and was the consequence of ‘some of the difficult decisions we have had to make in the last two years to get the cost base back under control’.

He said that successive low rates increases were ‘underwritten’ by the fact that the borough was recently named one of the top ten most attractive places to invest in the UK.

He said: “In the bear-pit of Northern Ireland politics, Antrim and Newtownabbey Borough Council stands as a beacon of consensus politics.

“Even if we have disagreements on some issues, on macro issues we always come to good solid agreement.

“Our ratepayers are still hard-pressed...hopefully they recognise the prudence that we have shown.”

However Independent Councillor Stafford Ward said: “I can’t support this motion.”

He said he was ‘talking a stand’ on issues including street cleaning, environmental services in his constituency and the delivery of waste collection services by Bryson Recycling.

He said he was voicing the concerns of his constituents by claiming that the council is ‘operating like a business, when it should be operating like a public service’.

Councillor Webb asked Councillor Ward if he could explain how the council could generate additional income and reduce expenditure to strike a lower rate than that which was proposed, and what analysis he had carried out to support that.

He said that council: “Has to operate like a business, like a household, you can’t spend what you don’t have.”

Councillor Ward outlined how he thought money could be saved on street cleaning and the use of sweepers, by basing such vehicles closer to areas they were used in, rather than at a central depot.

He alleged that more money was being spent in other areas than on his Macedon DEA, claiming: “Antrim is cleaner.”

Councillor Webb again asked if Councillor Ward had quantified what savings could be made and if he had fed that into any of the rate-setting workshops held over the last few months.

Councillor Ward said he had raised the issues at the Operations Committee but that ‘no one wanted to hear it.’.

“There is money there that we can recuperate if we used common sense.”

However with the exception of Councillor Ward, all were agreed on the recommendation and the meeting concluded.