'Councils wage bill must be reduced'

Householders do not pay rates to keep council staff in jobs – they pay for the delivery of services.

That was the blunt message delivered by UUP's Darryl Wilson as he blasted senior management at Cloonavin for failing to deliver the swingeing cuts he believes are necessary to address a £3m budget shortfall.

He was speaking during a debate on business plans submitted by the council's biggest spending department - Environmental Services.

Members of the committee which oversees the department refused to endorse the plans until a senior manager who was absent from Tuesday's meeting was available to answer questions.

*Read the full story inside the Chronicle.