Robin Swann: Don’t let DUP and Sinn Fein turn council elections into border poll

Speaking as he launched the UUP manifesto for next week’s elections to the 11 councils, Mr Swann pledged to offer a brand of unionism “that is about confidence and hope, and not fear”.

Addressing some of the UUP’s candidates and MLAs in the Stormont Hotel, Mr Swann said: “We cannot ignore that this campaign has seen the DUP and Sinn Fein trying to turn it into a border poll and create an atmosphere around it that is as toxic as the one they created at Stormont.

“We cannot allow them to turn our local councils into eleven mini-Stormonts ruled by dysfunctionality, blighted with disrespect and wrecked by scandals.

“And if this election is in any way about the Union, then it is about the type of unionism that you want to represent you.”

Urging the restoration of Stormont, Mr Swann said: “The fact is that the Union is safest when this place works. When people are seeing delivery. When things are good there is no need for anyone to question the constitutional status quo.”

The North Antrim MLA said that DUP claims about splitting the unionist vote in proportional representation elections were “absolute nonsense” and that the DUP and Sinn Féin were using “pathetic scare tactics” in a bid to use tribal voting to increase their vote.

The UUP manifesto sets out proposals for the further devolution of powers from Stormont to local councils, a theme which survives from the leadership of Mike Nesbitt.

The manifesto calls for “power to be exercised at community level” and proposes the transfer of eight powers to councils: community regeneration, street lighting, roadside grass cutting, libraries, youth services, minor roads maintenance, on-street car parking and responsibility for the natural and built heritage.

Mr Swann said that the reform of local government five years ago, which shrank 26 councils into 11, had not been a success, with 305,000 householders and 29,000 businesses paying higher rates bills as a result of a project which was supposed to save money.

The UUP manifesto calls for the Northern Ireland Audit Office to be brought in to do “a full analysis of all costs incurred to date and to quantify any savings that have been generated”.

Mr Swann said it was “unforgiveable” that “it was ordinary ratepayers left paying the price for these failed reforms”.

He added: “I want to see a slate of powers wrestled away from a dysfunctional grip at Stormont, down to our council chambers. Most people already assume councils are responsible for cutting the grass, filling in potholes and even providing local youth centres – so let’s give them powers...I want to see more of the money raised locally, spent locally.”

Mr Swann said it is wrong that most of the money raised in rates goes to Stormont rather than councils.