Roads maintenance problems may cost ratepayers

An underspend on roads maintenance estimated at around E300 million is likely to be passed on to the new super councils in Northern Ireland with the bill to be picked up by the norths ratepayers.

The Local Government Association (NILGA) has also said that cutbacks in the road maintenance budget has safety consequences. There is also the possibility of jobs losses.
The association said that it endorsed the Quarry Products Association of NI in its attempt to establish a meeting with the new NIO minister David Cairns on budget cutbacks
NILGA President Peter Weir said that councils were trying to take care of the interests of residents. They were, he said, trying to keep rates as low as possible but that there were still real problems.