Fermanagh and Omagh District Council prepares to set 2025-2026 budget

Fermanagh and Omagh District Council is preparing to agree its budget for the 2025-2026 financial year at a Special Council meeting on Thursday 6 February 2025. The setting of the budget will determine the District Rate for residents and businesses.

Over the past year the Council has delivered high quality services, supported communities and enabled investment across the District, through prudent financial management in an ongoing challenging economic environment.

Significant work has been undertaken over recent months to prepare a budget that funds key local services and a comprehensive capital programme to improve the whole District, strengthen local communities and enhance the wellbeing of residents.

The Council receives approximately 45% of the total Rates bill, which is issued by Land and Property Services to householders and businesses. The remaining 55% of the Rates is paid to the Northern Ireland Executive to support central government services including health, roads and education.

In the last financial year, funding raised by the District Rate enabled the Council to:

• Invest almost £10million in capital projects to improve facilities and infrastructure across the District;
• Provide for 700,000 users to the Council’s four leisure centres and 500,000 visits to outdoor recreational facilities;
• Award over £325,000 in grants and bursaries to voluntary clubs, societies, community, sporting organisations and individuals;
• Deliver a summer scheme for more than 800 children and young people.
• Deliver a sustainable waste management service for our 116,000 residents;
• Launch a 10-year anti-poverty strategy in partnership with local statutory, community and voluntary sector organisations;
• Progress the Mid South West regional Growth Deal to secure future investment of £330m for the region through a suite of Infrastructure, Regeneration, Tourism, Innovation and Digital projects;
• Invest more that £400,000 in upgrading play parks as part of the Play Park Strategy 2030;
• Deliver a programme of wraparound and financial support to 143 households experiencing, or at risk of food poverty with a further allocation of £70,000 to primary and secondary schools in the District;
• Support 4,370 of people, schools, and community groups to become involved in environmental activities;
• Support the Sperrin’s Partnership to secure £100K funding to develop a 5-year Management Plan for Sperrin Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty; and
• Establish a sustainable food partnership in the District and facilitating 67 partner organisations to  develop an  action plan.

Major capital works included the completion of the Drummee Waste Transfer Station, improvement works at Omagh Leisure Centre, refurbishment of play areas across the District and enhancements at the Gortrush Waste Depot and Irvinestown Recycling Centre and the completion of the Small Settlement Programme which supports infrastructure improvements in villages right across the District.

This year the Council developed and approved a new Corporate Plan which sets out how the Council will focus resources to further improve the social, economic and environmental wellbeing of the District.  This is underpinned by strong governance with 100% of the Audit Assurance reports receiving   the highest level of audit opinion in year.

The 2025-2026 budget will be considered by Fermanagh and Omagh District Council at a Special Council Meeting on 6 February 2025 at 7pm. The meeting will be live streamed on the Council’s YouTube channel.