Council to spend £30,000 to say goodbye

Council to spend £30,000 to say goodbye

By David Telford

 DOWN Council is to spend £30,000 of ratepayers' money on a series of events to mark its 42 years in business, just days before the organisation is consigned to history.

The celebrations are scheduled to take place in March ahead of the organisation's merger with its neighbour in Newry and Mourne to form one of 11 new super councils in Northern Ireland.

Down Council was created in 1973 following the last major shake-up of local government. As it approaches its final few weeks in existence, politicians are drawing up plans to mark what they have described as the "end of an era."

Downpatrick racecourse will host what councillors hope will be one of the biggest community events the district has ever seen on March 28 as part of the celebrations.

Planning for this event is ongoing and no firm details of what it will entail have yet been released. The racecourse will also be the venue for the council chairman's annual awards for young people on the same day.

Work is continuing on an 80-page booklet tracing the history of Down Council from its launch to the present day, while separate events are to be held for staff and councillors.

Invitations to take part in the celebrations are to be extended to all former councillors and the area's MPs and MLAs and representatives from the Roads Service, Planning Service and PSNI.