Council row after DUP backs Sinn Féin proposal to remove smaller parties from party leaders’ forum

In June it was revealed that the DUP backed a Sinn Féin proposal to remove parties with only one seat on the council and independents from the behind closed doors party leaders’ forum.

This decision means the SDLP, TUV and Alderman Paul Berry no longer have a voice on the forum.

It also lead to allegations from the TUV that DUP councillors had supported a Sinn Fein motion which denied other Unionists a voice. A claim which the DUP denied.

While not a decision-making body, the party leaders’ forum has previously been described, by those familiar with its workings, as a “sounding board for council officers”.

In previous council terms Alderman Berry and other single member parties, such as UKIP, each had a seat at the table.

Currently Sinn Féin has 15 seats on ABC Council, the DUP has 13, the UUP has six and the Alliance Party has four while the SDLP, TUV and independents have one each. The party leaders’ forum is now made up of the Lord Mayor, the Alliance Party group leader, the DUP group leader, Sinn Féin’s group leader and the UUP group leader.

With tension around this decision evident, the UUP’s group leader Alderman Ian Burns has sent a letter to Council’s Lord Mayor, DUP Alderman Margaret Tinsley, requesting a special meeting “with the purpose of discussing the party leaders forum in an open session”.

The letter, the Local Democracy Reporting Service understands, was sent on Friday, July 7 and was also sent to Council’s Chief Executive, Roger Wilson, and deputy Chief Executive, Charlene Stoops.

It includes SDLP councillor Thomas O’Hanlon, TUV councillor Keith Ratcliffe and Alderman Berry amongst its nine signatories.

It reads: “I am emailing on behalf of the below group to request that you convene a special meeting of the Council in line with Standing Order 3.2 with the purposed of discussing the party leaders forum in an open session.

“We are concerned that the minority voice of Council is being diminished.”

Council’s standing order 3.2 says the Lord Mayor must call a meeting of Council if, a request for such a meeting, supported by nine members (one-fifith of the whole number of members), is presented to him/her.

Speaking following the submission of the letter, Councillor Keith Ratcliffe said there has been “a great deal of unease” in the local community about the decision to exclude smaller parties and independents from the party leaders’ forum.

“I welcome the fact that the UUP have asked for the Lord Mayor to call a special meeting to revisit the issue and I am happy to confirm that I have supported its call,” he said.

“There has been a great deal of misinformation about this issue with the fact that the vote at the last council meeting was held in secret responsible for a lot of that.

“Personally, I believe that matters should be held behind closed doors when there is either sound legal or commercial reasons for doing so. Holding discussions and votes in private simply to keep ratepayers in the dark is an abuse of process.

“To be clear, this was never about money. Frankly, I was surprised that party group leaders receive any additional money for serving on the group as I imagine many ratepayers will.

“This potential special meeting presents an opportunity for the decision to be revisited and frankly, for a wrong to be righted. It is deeply regrettable that this issue arose in the first place and I trust the Lord Mayor will facilitate it being put right.”

A spokesperson for Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon Borough Council confirmed the local authority was aware of “communication in this regard” and confirmed no date “has yet been set for this meeting”.

“The Council can confirm it is aware of communication in this regard,” said the spokesperson.

“Under Standing Order 3.2, the Lord Mayor has seven days from receipt of the request to call a special meeting, in relation to the matter outlined. The decision to call a special meeting is taken by the Lord Mayor.