Council asked to 'cut coat according to the cloth' over funding amenities projects

The issue was raised after concern was expressed over plans for new community buildings at Balnamore, Cloughmills, Stranocum and the refurbishment of the building at Ballybogey.

Despite agreeing to proceed with the projects at a recent Leisure and Amenities Committee meeting, a number of councillors were not happy at last Monday’s Full Council meeting raising funding, timing and running cost issues.

Having read the minutes of the Committee meeting Alderman James Simpson explained: “From what I can see there’s a 1.75m shortfall. We need to look closely at this.”

Agreeing Cllr Bill Kennedy said: “Although excellent work is being done by the local community groups, I really urged caution here. There are cut backs in Central Government and with the current economic climate, I suggest we hold any capital projects for another 12 months at least.

“I’m not against them but we need to try to keep the rates down as much as possible. I just think we should not make any decisions yet and see how this is going to have an impact on next year’s rates. There’s no point spending money now which will knock on to next year.

“We could even do it as a phased approach where a number of projects are implemented at different times - we could then get the balance needed.”

Cllr Audrey Patterson also agreed: “We should use caution here especially with the present economic downturn.”

Cllr Ian Stevenson then repeated numerous times that the money had been set aside for the progressing of the projects and that there was a need to ‘enhance the borough’.

He continued: “The money is there as these issues were discussed at rates time. The projects will enhance the borough and we will still keep the rates as low as possible. If the money is there then we should use it. It’s better that than sitting on it.”

Alderman Frank Campbell supported the comments adding: “I do think a decision needs to be made on this and it not kept being put off. I also agree that committees are entitled to have halls.”

Having listened to everyones comments Cllr Mervyn Storey said there was much he ‘agreed with’ however highlighted that all buildings invariably incur running costs and asked if a cost analysis had been carried out adding: “I would be keen to see how it would impact on next year’s rates”.

Director of Borough Services informed members that a cost analysis had not been carried out at this moment in time stating: “Council need to sort out and prioritise the projects first. There has also been no work done on next year’s rates.

“However many centres set up a management committee who are responsible for the heat and lighting and set their own income rates. Council’s ongoing responsiblilty is purely the maintenance”.

He also outlined once again that members had already budgeted and made provisions towards the progressing of these amenities projects.

Cllr Robinson told how when she joined Council in 2005 one of the first committees she attended was Stranocum Community Association and as yet they were still operating from a portacabin.

She continued: “I know many community groups will be very disappointed that we are still debating to progress these schemes - many have been using bad facilities for decades.

“Community Associations like Killyrammer have a management committee who run the centre. They rent out the rooms and therefore get an income to sustain the running costs. I agree that we proceed with caution and keep within the budgets set - it’s just a case of cutting our coat according to the cloth.”

Proposing that Council reduce the number of projects Cllr Storey outlined: “There’s a deficit at the minute which means we don’t have the money. I think this Council should make a decision and cut back from four schemes to maybe three. Like Cllr Robinson suggests cut the coat for the cloth.”

The Director stated that the ‘progressing’ of the schemes had ‘already been proposed and adopted’ at a recent Leisure and Amenities Committee meeting’. He then concluded: “There are still several stages still to go beyond this - we are only agreeing to progress with the schemes.”