Alex Easton MLA receives further proof that North Down is getting a raw deal over funding from Transport NI.

Speaking today Alex Easton MLA said.

“It is becoming more and more evident as more information comes to light that Ards & North Down are being treated differently to the rest of Northern Ireland. In yet more damming evidence this time coming from yet another two NI Assembly questions we can see that in terms of street lighting and general maintenance our Council is once again at the bottom of the list for funding.”

“I am at a loss as to why we are receiving the least amount of funding as we have the third highest populations of all Council areas, yet we already receiving the least amount of funding for road resurfacing and footpath resurfacing and now the least for Street lighting and general maintenance. I want clear answers from Transport NI why this is happening , and why we are being treated in this fashion. I want to know why we are being discriminated against and who is making these funding decisions. With this in mind I will be seeking a meeting with the Infrastructure Minister meeting to demand answers, I will be giving the Minister a list of issues that need address urgently within the North Down area.”

Ends:

Alex Easton MLA

 

 

From: assembly.questions@niassembly.gov.uk [mailto:assembly.questions@niassembly.gov.uk] Sent: 24 October 2016 11:10 To: Easton, Alex <alex.easton@mla.niassembly.gov.uk> Subject: Written Answer AQW 4244/16-21 – Funding for New Street lighting

 

To ask the Minister for Infrastructure to detail the funding for new street lighting in 2015-16, broken down by local council area.

The total amount spent by my Department’s Transport NI on Capital Street Lighting in 2015-16 by

Council area is detailed in the table below.

District Council Area Outturn

2015-16

£k

Belfast City Council 1,165

Lisburn & Castlereagh City Council 535

Antrim & Newtownabbey Borough Council 482

Mid & East Antrim Borough Council 638

Causeway Coast & Glens Borough Council 804

Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon Borough

Council

3,530

Newry, Mourne and Down District Council 602

Ards & North Down Borough Council

Derry City & Strabane District Council

453

1,221

Fermanagh and Omagh District Council 451

Mid Ulster District Council 465

Total 10,346

During 2015-16 a project to replace standard sodium lanterns with LED lanterns in the Armagh, Banbridge

and Craigavon area took place.

From: assembly.questions@niassembly.gov.uk [mailto:assembly.questions@niassembly.gov.uk] Sent: 24 October 2016 11:16 To: Easton, Alex <alex.easton@mla.niassembly.gov.uk> Subject: Written Answer AQW 4243/16-21 – Funding for Grass Cutting

 

To ask the Minister for Infrastructure to detail the funding for grass cutting for 2015-16, broken down by local council area.

My Department does not maintain a record of expenditure in the format requested, however, I can provide

the Member with information on Routine Maintenance expenditure by District Council area (see table

below). Grass Cutting is one of the sub functions that make up the Routine Maintenance of the road

network.

Other functions within Routine Maintenance are Embankments & Cuttings and Verges, Weed Spraying,

Fences and Sweeping, Cleaning and Gully Emptying.

District Council Area 2015-16 £k

Belfast City Council 1,662

Lisburn & Castlereagh City Council 1,076

Antrim & Newtownabbey Borough Council 751

Mid & East Antrim Borough Council 1,566

Causeway Coast & Glens Borough Council 1,693

Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon Borough Council 1,675

Newry, Mourne and Down District Council 1,223

Ards & North Down Borough Council 637

Derry City & Strabane District Council 1,159

Fermanagh and Omagh District Council 1,642

Mid Ulster District Council 1,232

Total Routine Maintenance Spend 14,316