SDLP Raises Castlereagh Inquiries

SDLP members have asked the Assembly Environment Committee to monitor inquiries into events at Castlereagh Council, including the role politicians play in planning decisions.

The call comes after the investigation into Iris Robinson and Castlereagh Council's decision to award a contract to her teenage lover.

"There is a huge issue of public confidence here, especially as we head into a wide-ranging reform of local councils," said East Derry MLA John Dallat.

"The Committee agreed that we should have the Local Government Auditor look at the role councillors should have in individual planning decisions and their code of conduct. There are many small businesses that are dependent on local government procurement and they must be able to have confidence that business opportunities are handled absolutely fairly."


Upper Bann MLA Dolores Kelly, who chairs the Committee, said she would raise the issues discussed at Committee when she meets NI Environment Minister Edwin Poots later today.

"The Committee is seeking the terms of reference and time frames of the various bodies investigating affairs in Castlereagh Council," she said.

"We want to know what oversight the Minister and his Department will have of these inquiries. The money which was used for the Lock keeper development came from a variety of sources including the Department of Culture, Arts and Leisure and the EU Special Programmes Body, so there are issues for local government as a whole."

Mrs Robinson was given £50,000 from two property developers, Fred Fraser and Ken Campbell, to help Kirk McCambley open the Lock Keeper's Inn cafe in south Belfast.

(NS/GK)