Judicial review warning over ‘crumbs’ funding support for Mid and East Antrim

Mid and East Antrim Borough Council is outraged that it has received just 4.6 per cent of £20.3m.

It is believed to be the only local authority of 11 in Northern Ireland to have been given less than £1m.

The funding is being released by the Department to “ensure that local councils can continue to provide essential services and support those in need” in response to the Coronavirus crisis.

Mid and East Antrim says that it has been allocated £934,149 by the Department for Communities to cover costs incurred during the pandemic from March until June. Chief executive Anne Donaghy reported that it is just 72 per cent of the sum for which the council applied.

She told a meeting of council on Tuesday evening that she was not satisfied with the explanation that has been provided by Department for Communities officials and asked for the council’s permission to write to the Department and the minister to seek clarification.

In a statement issued by the DUP after the meeting, East Antrim MP Sammy Wilson said that figure appeared to be “completely unfair” and accused the Department of “penalising one of Northern Ireland’s top performing councils for sound financial management”.

Mr. Wilson added: “I am appalled by the way this entire scheme has been delivered and the complete lack of transparency around the allocation of public money.

“Based on the last audited accounts of all Northern Ireland’s councils, Mid and East Antrim Borough Council are responsible for 7.11% of all 11 councils’ self-generated income, yet only received 4.6% of a grant that was to assist in replacing that income

“This is in comparison to neighbouring Antrim and Newtownabbey, who delivered 7.25% of council-generated income and received 9.6%, and Causeway Coast and Glens who delivered 8.7% and is set to receive 9.68%. Belfast City Council is to receive 19.91%, which equates to more than £4m. Seven Northern Ireland councils will get a bigger percentage of this grant than they would have been due if it was based on audited income, but three, including Mid and East Antrim, have received significantly less.”

Previously, Mid and East Antrim Borough Council was awarded only £71,850 from a £1.5m scheme to assist local communities in Northern Ireland.

“The citizens of Mid and East Antrim have every right to feel they are being treated as the poor relations of Northern Ireland as far as the Department is concerned and I call on the Minister and the Department to urgently revisit this and ensure the split is fair and balanced.”

Larne Lough Councillor Gregg McKeen added: “We need answers from the Department around the formula used. Otherwise it seems Mid and East Antrim is suffering because of its strong financial governance.

“We want this remedied as a matter of urgency or I feel the council has no choice but to seriously consider bringing a judicial review process against the Department.

“Without swift resolution, those who will ultimately suffer because of this are the people of Mid and East Antrim, and we won’t sit back and allow that to happen.”

Larne Lough Ulster Unionist Councillor Keith Turner pointed out that Mid and East Antrim had received £1m less than neighbouring Antrim and Newtownabbey.

“I hope we as a council are being given a fair crack of the whip in times to come. This is a disgrace against this council.”

Carrick DUP Alderman Billy Ashe MBE said: “The days of sitting back and taking what you are handed are long gone. I do not think we should be punished because of the prudence of this council.”

Bannside TUV Councillor Timothy Gaston expressed concern over “going down the route of a judicial review”. He urged caution over the financial cost of what may not be a potentially favourable outcome for Mid and East Antrim.

Larne Lough DUP Alderman Paul Reid branded Mid and East Antrim’s share “an absolute disgrace” and stated that the borough has been given “the crumbs everybody else has left”.

A spokesperson for the Department for Communities said: “Councils were asked to identify their lost revenue and additional costs incurred as a result of COVID-19. Each council provided this information and this was verified by council senior executives. Allocation of the £20.3 million was then determined based upon this lost revenue and COVID-19 related activity cost information provided by each council. This allocation excludes furlough and waste management funding.”

Michelle Weir, Local Democracy Reporter.

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