To ask the Minister for Communities to detail any further financial support that will be provided to district councils to deal with impact of COVID-19 upon their finances.

On 23 November 2020, the Executive allocated a further £10 million to my Department to support local councils for the period from mid-March 2020 to March 2021. This was in addition to £75.3 million that was previously allocated for councils for this financial year of which £40.3 million has been paid to date.

My Department will continue to carry out analysis of the figures to be provided by each council reflecting their projected financial losses and COVID-19 costs for this financial year taking into account updated estimates and actual spend.

Once my Department has carried out due diligence exercises on further information provided by councils, the figures will be signed off by individual Council Chief Executives. Final consultation with Association of Local Government Finance Officers and Society of Local Authority Chief Executives will also take place.

This will provide a basis for allocation that will be consistent with the original bid for support as approved by the Executive. Allocations for the remaining £45 million funding which includes the recent allocation of £10 million will be confirmed once information has been provided by councils and due diligence exercises have been completed.