The cost of Causeway Coast and Glens land audit is £120,000 — a massive sum which ratepayers have to pay

More than 18 months have passed since an Extraordinary Audit was announced by the Sinn Fein Minister for Communities into transactions by Causeway Coast and Glens Council.

The report contains severe criticism of senior council officers and procedures.

The council now needs to respond to the contents of the report and take appropriate steps to ensure that there is maximum confidence in the council to carry out its functions.

There are still outstanding issues not yet resolved.

Who was the public representative who wrote to the SF minister and asked for this course of action resulting in a huge bill?

What actions did they take in advance of asking the SF minister to instruct this audit to take place which could have avoided the cost?

Once the dust has settled on this report are, we need to refocus on the main objective. The north coast needs more good quality hotels to cater for the tourism trade and the return of the Open Golf tournament in three years time as there was criticism the previous time of a lack of that type of accommodation.

This needs to be done with due regard to proper procedures. There are a small number of public representative who demand the proper procedures but not the quality accommodation.

We must have both.

Gregory Campbell MP, East Londonderry