Anger over Poots' winding up of the Lower Bann Advisory Committee

The news of the winding up was broken to members of the Council’s Leisure and Environment Committee on Tuesday night.

Chief Executive Roger Wilson told members that while Coleraine Council had agreed to provide 5,000 towards the Advisory Committee, not all other participating councils had agreed to match that funding.

He said that in a letter to the Councils, Environment Minister Edwin Poots said that, in the absence of co-funders, the Advisory Committee was no longer sustainable and would be wound up on June 30 this year.

Cllr Timothy Deans described the decision as “ridiculous” and asked why devolved government was not working for Coleraine?

“Is the Minister telling us he can’t find 15,000 from his budget because three other councils wouldn’t give the funding?

“The Bann is the lifeblood that runs through the Borough and he decides to cut the Advisory Committee, no matter what we think?” said Cllr Deans making a proposal that Council respond to the Minister expressing their disappointment at the decision.

Cllr Norman Hillis said the decision was “hard to believe” when it was taken over such a “paltry sum”.

Cllr Robert McPherson called it a “crying shame” and said it was an example of how the Assembly wasn’t working.

Cllr WIlliam King said that there was a feeling among some people that Coleraine had the best use of the Bann and that “may have gone against us”.

“Where do we go now? If the Advisory Committee is wound up, we won’t be able to start up another one just overnight.”

Council Chief Executive Roger Wilson said that the news of the decision was “hot off the press” and added that he hadn’t been able to find out any details.

However he also suggested that, as well as writing to Minister Poots, Council also wrote to the other Councils on the committee to stress the importance of the partnership.