Council to look again at civic site closures

Council to look again at civic site closures

18 January 2012

THE controversial closure of Down District’s civic amenity sites for two days a week is to be re-examined by Down councillors.

The decision comes just days after Downpatrick’s depot at Cloonagh Road was besieged by residents trying to dump rubbish collected over the Christmas period. Angry businessmen complained customers and delivery drivers had to turn away because of the long queues of cars trying to get into the site.

At its height drivers, including councillors Liam Johnston and Cadogen Enright, had to wait for over one-and-a-half hours to get to the site.

Members of the council’s Environment Committee have now decided to ask the powerful Rates Working Party, the group tasked with setting the new district rate, to look again at the two day closure.

The decision to close the civic amenity sites in Downpatrick, Castlewellan and Ballynahinch on Wednesdays and Thursdays was taken last year to cut costs.

At a committee meeting last week councillors expressed concern about the inconvenience being caused by the closures.

Ballynahinch councillor Garth Craig said it was “not acceptable” the town’s new amenity site at Ballykine is closed for the two days.

“There was a public expectation that it would be open throughout the week,” he said. “This is a fantastic facility and everyone would agree a lot of taxpayers’ money has gone into this site yet lo and behold it is operating at reduced opening hours,”

Councillor Carmel O’Boyle said people have got used to the centre in Castlewellan being closed for two days but questioned if it was wise to close all the centres on the same days.

“When we agreed to these closures I was under the impression we would try to stagger the days so that at least one of the centres would be open each day,” she said.

She was supported by councillor William Walker who said he thought the centres were closed on different days and had advised people to travel to Downpatrick when they found the Ballynahinch site closed.

Councillor Cadogan Enright asked for officials to produce figures on the costs of reopening the civic amenity sites for an extra day and for both days

Council director, Canice O’Rourke, said the problems last week occurred because the site was closed on Monday and Tuesday after New Year for holidays and then closed on Wednesday and Thursdays. He said the council has learned a lesson.

He said Wednesday and Thursdays were chosen for closure because they were the least busy days at the amenity sites.

He warned there is considerable pressure on his department’s budget and he has recently been told he has to make cuts of £180,000 in preparation for the setting of this years annual district rate.