A full meeting of Causeway Coast and Glens Borough Council was held on Tuesday 4th January 2022.
In his opening address, the Mayor, Councillor Richard Holmes, offered his congratulations to the New Year Honours recipients, including Community Rescue Service Regional Commander Sean McCarry who was awarded an OBE for services to the community in Northern Ireland. The Mayor said that he did fantastic work in the local area and the recognition was well deserved.
During the meeting, elected members ratified the following decisions:
Environmental Services committee
Procurement of a Mechanical Road Sweeper
Permission was given to purchase a 16 tonne mechanical road sweeper and complete a review to assess the need for smaller sweepers.
Reducing single-use plastic
Following an approach from Keep Northern Ireland Beautiful (KNIB) and Tackling Plastics NI (TPNI), members committed to a Plastic Promise to reduce and eventually remove consumer single-use plastic from Council offices and properties within an agreed timeframe. The Plastic Promise is a commitment to reduce and remove single-use plastic across the Council estate, where possible. To demonstrate this commitment, Council will address single-use plastics in operations and services to reduce and remove consumer single-use plastic where viable and practical, work with supply chains and elected members, staff and communities to change behaviour towards using single-use plastic.
Currently, Council promotes PlasticSmart as part of its LiveSmart programme which aims to reduce plastic use and increase recycling through simple, practical actions. While schools and businesses are encouraged to achieve PlasticSmart accreditation. Alongside this, the ‘H2O on the Go’ initiative aims to reduce the number of single-use plastic bottles by creating a network of businesses where the public can ask for water bottles to be refilled.
Ballintoy Harbour and Car Park
Members accepted a recommendation about resurfacing, replacement lighting and designating the site to a private lands car park. It was also agreed that engagement will take place with stakeholders prior to making a decision regarding carpark charges and a park and ride option.
Knock Road Depot Refurbishment
Approve refurbishment at Knock Road Depot and accept the lowest tender of £565,362 (+ optimism bias £28,268). Existing facilities are no longer fit for purpose and do not comply with Health, Safety and Welfare requirements.
Replacement fire alarm systems
New fire detection systems will be purchased and installed at Flowerfield and Roe Valley Arts Centres for the combined sum of £33,650 (+VAT)
Leisure and Development committee
Causeway Coast and Glens Heritage Trust
Members agreed to procure services from the Trust for the year ahead at a cost of £35,000. Activities complement Council’s Tourism and Recreation remit and are in line with its Destination Management Plan.
Green Lane Museum
Seek community group assistance to operate Green Lane Museum at Roe Valley Country Park with support from Council for overheads and lease.
Millburn Community Centre
Progress a business case to consider the transfer of operational responsibility of Millburn Community Centre to Millburn Community Association, and develop a process that can be used in the event that Council receives similar future requests.
Department for Communities social supermarkets and access to food
Subject to confirmation of funding from Department for Communities, members agreed the following:
Social Supermarket Funds: Secure technical expertise to assist in updating and aligning existing pilots to commission a service that best meet the needs of local communities and builds on the existing structures and partnerships and roll out a pilot project through the Wraparound Support Programme to explore best ways to extend the reach of existing social supermarkets.
Covid Access to Food Support: Reopen the Food & Essential Supplies Fund which operated in 2020-21 and provide grants of up to £2000 to community and voluntary organisations to provide support for crisis food and household essentials.
Reprofile £30,000 of the Community Centres Creative Activity Programme budget to develop a fuel voucher scheme to be delivered through the existing Wraparound Support Programme with a process to assess need and support people who have suffered financial hardship because of Covid.
Covid Recovery Small Settlement Programme
Members approved a high-level investment proposal for the Covid Recovery Small Settlements Regeneration Programme to enable officers to seek Departmental approval.
Banagher Glen
Avail of funding amounting to £59,731.20 from Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs through its Tackling Rural Poverty and Social Isolation programme for improvements to the visitor experience at Banagher Glen and Altnaheglish Reservoir, outside Dungiven, with a £10,000 contribution from Council.
The project includes the provision of signage, way-marking, interpretive panels, visitor monitoring equipment and trail furniture which will provide a family orientated outdoor experience and increased opportunities for social engagement.
West Bay Permissive Path agreement
Council obtained funding through the COVID Recovery Revitalisation Programme to enhance and upgrade a section of the shared use Blackrocks Coastal Path to alleviate health and safety concerns and enhance the visitor experience by segregating cars from cyclists/pedestrians. A section of the path passes through privately owned land and members have agreed to enter into a Permissive Path Agreement with the landowner, in keeping with Council’s approach to securing public access.
Andrew Bonar Law project
Council agreed to support the project and to locate the proposed bust of Andrew Bonar Law, former UK Prime Minister in the Town Hall and contribute funds accordingly through the Culture Art and Heritage Grants Programme subject to eligibility and assessment. Bonnar Law’s father is buried in Portrush and his family are remembered in two stained glass memorial windows in Ballywillan Presbyterian Church, Portrush.
As per normal Council procedures, all decisions are subject to the ‘call-in’ process.
Dunluce Centre, Portrush
Following a call-in to challenge a decision of Council on 7th December 2021 to sell the Dunluce Centre Portrush to the preferred bidder, members voted again on the following:
“That Council accept Mr O’Donnell’s financial bid of £1.21m and his proposal for the development of a Family Entertainment Centre at the Dunluce Centre subject to due legal process being completed for the transfer of title and any legal covenants concerning the development of the site.”
The proposal carried with a majority of members (21) voting in favour.
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