Recruitment of sweepers welcomed by councillor

Recruitment of sweepers welcomed by councillor

30 October 2024

ADDITIONAL street sweepers are to be recruited to help keep the district’s streets clean.

Newry, Mourne and Down Council will formally sign off on the move next week, in tandem with giving the green light for the recruitment of three additional staff who will focus on reducing the organisation’s carbon footprint to help tackle climate change.

The move has been welcomed by the local authority’s Alliance councillors.

Downpatrick councillor Cadogan Enright said that over a decade after the new council was created when Newry and Mourne and Down council’s merged, housing estates and villages in Newry and Mourne and but Down District.

“We all pay the same rates and so should all get the same level of services,” he said, issuing a reminder that his party made this an election issue and is delighted with this outcome.

Cllr Enright also welcomed the recruitment of additional staff to help tackle climate change.

“This is something the Alliance team has consistently raised in the debating chamber with a series of motions between 2019 and 2024, not only to combat climate change, but help reduce rates for residents with the huge renewable energy opportunities that are available for council.”

Rowallane councillor Tierna Howie said it had taken a long time to achieve the response from council with the expansion of its cleansing resources to provide a more equitable service across the district. 

“Alliance has highlighted the disparity in cleansing services across the district since the council’s formation. In the legacy Down District area, street cleansing has consistently fallen short in receiving the cleansing services required,” she said.

“We have been calling out this inequity for some time and I’m pleased that the council has finally acknowledged the issue and agreed to expand its resources.”

Cllr Howie said new staff to help address climate change can help develop solutions to the climate emergency, while also exploring sustainable ways to generate income and make savings for the local authority.