Antrim and Newtownabbey councillors clash over £55k ‘protocol’ related funding refusal

Glengormley Sinn Fein Councillor Michael Goodman said the council “could not afford to turn down amounts of that kind”.

Funding has been offered in relation to a service level agreement between the council and the Office for Product Safety & Standards (OPSS), the national regulator for product safety based at Westminster.

It has been working with councils in Northern Ireland to enable them to undertake market surveillance and provide advice and support to local businesses regarding their product safety responsibilities as part of the UK’s exit from the European Union.

Councillors have been told an offer of grant funding of a maximum amount of £55,000 has been received for eligible expenditure in undertaking funded activities.

Cllr Goodman proposed an amendment to accept the funding.

However, Macedon Ulster Unionist Cllr Robert Foster stated the Protocol is having a “detrimental impact on businesses in this country and council can’t be party to that”.

Airport Sinn Fein Cllr Annemarie Logue said it was “an outlandish proposal to reject this money”.

District Rates

She went on to say the council has increased the district rates but is refusing this money “on the back of a Protocol agreed by Unionists”.

“It is absolutely scandalous. I do not know why we would refuse this sum of money. We really need to catch ourselves on here.”

Dunsilly SDLP Cllr Ryan Wilson commented: “We have already undertaken this project and the expectation was that we would recoup the money. I understand the concerns expressed by Unionists to do with the Protocol but it is also important that we would claim this money.”

He added if colleagues object to this work, they should raise it during the next financial year.

He indicated this work was agreed by the local authority a number of years ago and it would be “totally irresponsible to turn round now to stop doing it or still do it and not claim the money for it”.

Ballyclare Ulster Unionist Cllr Norrie Ramsay asked for the minutes of the Operations Committee at which the issue was on the agenda to be approved.

Cllr Goodman’s proposed amendment failed after 22 councillors voted against with 15 in favour. He proceeded to ask for legal advice about the “rejection of this funding”.

Airport DUP Cllr Matthew Magill said he found the request “somewhat surprising”.

Just Voted

Cllr Goodman replied: “I am concerned that we have just voted to incur unnecessary costs of £55k for the ratepayers of this borough.”

He went on to say if the council is challenged about this decision, he “wanted to be sure that challenge is not against the whole council but those responsible for it”.

Cllr Ramsay proposed the Operations Committee minutes be approved.

Threemilewater Alliance Alderman Tom Campbell asked why the council should spend public money getting legal opinion as to whether or not those who did not support this proposal would be held liable.

Cllr Goodman said he is “not a lawyer” and “does not know the answer to that”.

Cllr Ramsay’s proposal was seconded by Antrim DUP Alderman John Smyth.

Michelle Weir, Local Democracy Reporter