SF and DUP accused of cash '˜carve up'

Belfast City Council has signed off on giving £200,000 of ratepayers' cash to community groups from a controversial £400k 'bonfire diversion' fund.
Emmet McDonough-BrownEmmet McDonough-Brown
Emmet McDonough-Brown

At an impromptu meeting of the council’s Strategic Policy and Resources committee on Wednesday, Sinn Fein and the DUP voted to press ahead with the allocations for Woodvale and the Feile.

The meeting was restricted, so members of the press were not allowed to attend. It is understood, however, that the cash will go towards music events in July and August, respectively.

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When the decision was made to give £400,000 to community groups for “educational activities associated with July and August bonfires” months ago, Alliance, the UUP and the SDLP were outraged, calling the decision a “political carve-up”.

Wednesday’s meeting saw, as before, Sinn Fein, the DUP and the PUP vote in favour of the proposals, with Alliance, SDLP and the Ulster Unionists voting against.

Alliance councillor Emmet McDonough-Brown said Sinn Fein and the DUP “had the opportunity to show they respected all ratepayers of Belfast and they blew it”.

He said his party will not be “letting the matter go” and plan to raise it with the Audit Office next week.

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“The Alliance Party again tried to block this move, wanting to see a fair process open to all installed within City Hall,” he said.

“What is clear is that this plan between the DUP and Sinn Féin was decided and agreed long before any details about how the money would be spent were unveiled by their chosen organisations.”

He added: “We must send a signal, this type of carve-up is never okay.”