Stormont officials given ‘170-page presentation’ on land sale by Causeway Coast and Glens Council

Independent councillor Padraig McShane told the News Letter he has already given the Department of Communities “a 170-page presentation”.

The News Letter understands the presentation delivered by Mr McShane outlined details on the sale of land deemed necessary for a proposal to build a boutique hotel near Coleraine.

Today’s meeting comes after a majority of councillors voted to take no action against the council’s chief executive David Jackson after his role in the granting of land rights to a property developer for another proposed hotel development near Portstewart was criticised in a leaked investigation report.

In March, amid concerns about the council’s handling of finances with cuts worth millions made to services alongside an unprecedented rates hike, the News Letter revealed that the then communities minister Deirdre Hargey had written to the council demanding answers.

She wrote to the council at that time with a series of 19 probing requests for detailed information.

Earlier this week, the Department for Communities confirmed, in a statement to the BBC, that it has now asked for details of any rights of way granted by the council at less than best price.

Mr McShane, who last year submitted evidence to a judicial review of a planning approval for a proposed luxury hotel near Portstewart that included recordings made in secret of interviews he had conducted with senior council officials, is one of three independent councillors due to take part in today’s meeting with the department.

“A number of independent councillors will meet with the Department for Communities on Friday to present further damming evidence of the shortcomings in governance in Causeway Coast and Glens,” the independent councillor said in a statement ahead of the meeting.

“We will be demanding an intervention by the minister to protect further abuse of the public’s resources.

“The Northern Ireland Public Service Ombudsman has been alerted and we anticipate further investigation from that quarter.”

Councillors Stephanie Quigley and Angela Mulholland are also due to take part in the meeting in Coleraine today.

A spokesperson for the department said: “The Department for Communities has received information, including on the granting of easements, from both councillors and Causeway Coast and Glens Borough Council and is currently analysing and reviewing this information.

“Once this analysis has been completed the department will then consider what action to take.”

Asked by the News Letter for details of the information given by councillors, the spokesperson said: “The department cannot share any details about the information received from elected councillors as this relates to an ongoing review.”

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