Doing better for Randalstown

Several years ago Randalstown was fortunate to access funding to commence the process of upgrading the public realms works at the lower end of the town and over the bridge. The intention was that the remainder of the town would be completed when money was available. The funding has been available, some £650,000 but regrettably due to the actions of a few traders and politicians the entire investment is about to be lost. This will have a significant negative impact on the town in the longer term. When answering a recent question about improvements in Comber the Minister of Social Development replied “There is very clear evidence that public realm works, as part of a wider package of measures in a town centre, can make a real difference to the town centre. Revitalisation schemes for shops nearby can often add to that. Generally, a public realm scheme emerges out of a master plan for a town centre. That is a great opportunity for all those involved — the local authority, local traders, businesspeople and my officials — to work together to see what is the best way forward for that town centre. It is a very challenging time for town centres. Recent figures for empty properties were quoted. We need to boost town centres by making them more attractive and by encouraging greater footfall and more people to shop there and, thereby, provide greater viability for traders.” Unfortunately refusal to permit the completion of the public realm works will leave Randalstown well behind areas such as Antrim and Ballymena where extensive improvements are being made to entice shoppers into town centres. As the town deteriorates shoppers will travel elsewhere and those who will suffer will be the very traders who have blocked progress. There may still be time to complete the scheme to the benefit of traders and residents. Randalstown deserves the best.

Managing the merger

“While ratepayers will be aware of the careful management of ratepayers funds by Antrim Council over the years they will be shocked at some of the practices currently in place in Newtownabbey. For example the Mayor of Newtownabbey is transported to events in the Mayoral car an extravagance which a conservative estimate suggests costs the combined local government rates of 150 households. Ratepayers in Newtownabbey may have been happy with this state of affairs over the years but it is clear in this time of austerity and declining household incomes the Newtownabbey system of local administration needs to change. A major issue going forward will be the massive indebtedness that Newtownabbey will bring to the table as the most indebted council in Northern Ireland. With an annual rates income of £24 million Newtownabbey has a debt of some £47 million pounds based on figures from the Department of the Environment. Antrim in contrast has a capital debt of some £20 million with an annual income of £18 million. While the interest rates obtained may be generous a general principle that the debt burden should not exceed the annual income is a sensible position to take. The new Antrim and Newtownabbey Council has much work to do to achieve a balanced position at the same time as maintaining high levels of service provision. With that in mind the little extras such as the Mayoral car will need to be set aside for the benefit of ratepayers both domestic and business.”

My thoughts on the 12th

The events of the 12th of July will be assessed and debated for some time to come but of one thing we can be certain, Unionism lost. Unionism lost for several reasons, not least that the Parades Commission as a body remains incapable of rationally perceiving Orange culture and tradition as a worthwhile element of the cultural make up of Northern Ireland. From a starting point of accepting the Republican view that such culture is inherently sectarian all decisions are coloured by that view. Last year the Parades Commission introduced a ruling that was impossible for the Institution to meet, that the parade past the Ardoyne shops should be finished by 4pm, yet the Institution found a way to cool tensions and maintain dignity. With the announcement that the parading issue along with flags and the past would be resolved by Christmas it is even more difficult to understand why the same decision was not made this year, why raise tension now. Clearly the decision involved more than the Parades Commission, Mutual Aid policing is responsive but not as quick as indicated by the speed at which mainland forces arrived. Was it a priority to end Orange parades past the shops prior to some settlement so that Unionist politicians taking oversight of future parading decisions could claim “nothing to do with us we can only start with the status quo the Commission left us” Whatever the comments of senior figures that violence was not inevitable the truth is that it was, it was always going to be unless there was a clearly thought out strategy to prevent members, bands and supporters advancing on police lines. If there was such a strategy, it did not show, instead many young people will find their lives changed over the coming weeks as evidence is gathered over actions they took in the heat of the moment in politically charged rage. Many will come from the very working class deprived communities where political leadership has failed in the past and has failed them now. Republicanism continues to give the impression of moving forward because of its belief in the progressive realisation of its long term objectives. In the scheme of things the Union is no weaker today than it was yesterday but Republicans believe that it is and that message continues to be the message heard by young men and women from the Shankill and the Newtownards Rd whether it is because of a change in the days the Union flag can fly over city hall or the length of road that they can walk on the 12th. The reality is not that Republicans have won victories but rather that we have gift wrapped them and handed them to them. Had Unionists voted in elections the flag would still fly over City Hall, had we had the confidence in our position years ago to talk, not negotiate, about parading then things could have been different. What then is the next step? Clearly protest is not an option unless the sight of young men throwing themselves at police lines fits someone’s political agenda. The Institution and bands can put pressure on those who will sit with Richard Haas to resolve the issue by declaring now that engagement with police and Parades Commission will end on the 31st December 2013. Such a statement threatens no-one but makes clear that the current inequitable and divisive system must end. Politicians are elected to give leadership, in the next 5 months we shall know if they are up to the task.

A wasted opportunity

With the declaration that the police college at Desertcreat remains £18 million overbudget surely someone in authority is asking if this project remains viable. Given that David Cameron continues to transfer disused army bases to the Northern Ireland Executive surely one of these such as St Patricks in Ballymena or Massereene in Antrim offers far better value for money. The idea of a world class police college sounds good but in the absence of a world class education estate or a world class Women's and Children's hospital wouldn't a functional police college suffice. As our children continue to be educated in 30 year old portacabins and patients are treated in Victorian era institutions is there no one in the Executive capable of standing up and saying to David Ford "enough is enough". As a society we cannot always have everything we want but those in authority should be focussed on delivering the infrastructure that we need. There are greater priorities in our society than a so called world class police college so massively over budget, even when the bells and whistles have been removed.