Exploris survives again

Exploris survives again

5 March 2014

EXPLORIS has been denied a six-month stay of execution, with Ards Council giving Stormont just one more month to put money on the table.

Supporters of the Portaferry aquarium had argued six months was required to realistically allow the Executive to rubber-stamp its verbal commitment, but the proposal was outvoted.

Several councillors pointed out that they had already deferred their original decision to close Exploris for a month and were no closer to any funding guarantees.

Last month Ards Council endorsed a business plan aimed at keeping the Portaferry aquarium open and said they wanted to know exactly who at Stormont was prepared to commit to what funding before their next meeting.

The plan, which depends on increased visitor numbers, would see the ratepayers subsidy from £500,000 to £200,000 a year.

Wednesday’s meeting of Ards Council heard that Environment Minister Mark Durkan had written to Ards Council to confirm his financial backing to the aquarium’s seal sanctuary but that no further financial commitment had been made.

Mr. Durkan noted that the council’s business case had not yet been approved by his department’s economist, and that approval was now also required from the Department for Finance and Personnel.

The minister also asked that the North Down and Ards Statutory Transition Committee approve the business case before he took a final case to the Executive in March.

The meeting also heard Enterprise Minister Arlene Foster felt it would be inappropriate to commit to funding in advance of the business plan being put before the Assembly.

SDLP Portaferry councillor Joe Boyle, who proposed the deferral should last six months, pointed out that 80 per cent of Exploris’ visitors would be over the next six months.

“There has been an encouraging response from the minister,” he said.

“There is clearly a lengthier process involved.”

Alliance councillor Kellie Armstrong agreed. “Six months is a more realistic prospect,” she said. “There has been a lot of work completed to date.”

Ulster Unionist Deputy Mayor Philip Smith, who called for a one-month deferral of the closure decision, said he was “very disappointed” not to have funding confirmed but

remained hopeful.

“Today the fishing industry had some good news from Minister O’Neill — £400,000 — without having to go through the Executive and go through every hoop,” he said.

Councillor Smith said his main concern was for the staff at Exploris who had been left in a “continuous limbo-land”.

DUP councillor Mervyn Oswald strongly warned against releasing any pressure on Stormont.

“It is only through the pressure that has been exerted that we have actually got a letter,” he said.

Council chief executive Ashley Boreland said the council had not budgeted to keep the centre open as long as six months in its rates, but that the closure had been budgeted.

Speaking afterwards, the chairwoman of Friends of Exploris, Dr. Julia Sigwart, said they were “very disappointed” the six month deferral proposal had failed.

She pointed out that Exploris was approaching its busiest period of the year and without the security to employ its seasonal staff.