Councillors for Somme

BALLYMENA borough councillors have decided to send two members on this year’s Somme Pilgrimage at a combined cost of £1,050 despite their previous agreement to only attend anniversary events or other special occasions.
By The Newsroom
Published 13th Mar 2013, 12:03 BST

Council was last represented at the 95th anniversary in 2011 but did not attend last year.

At last Monday night’s March monthly meeting, councillors voted on the proposal of Cllr Beth Clyde, seconded by Cllr William McNeilly, to send Cllrs Billy Henry and James McClean on the pilgrimage which will commemorate the 97th anniversary of the Battle of the Somme.

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While Cllr Declan O’Loan expressed concern that councillors were “abandoning” their previously agreed policy, Cllr Paul Frew said he felt Council should take a decision on attendance at the Somme Pilgrimage “on a year to year basis”.

He said: “We shouldn’t be frightened about changing policy if we need policy to be changed.

“This is important and it was very important to me to be at the Somme and see at first hand the sacrifice that was made.

“We should be asking, ‘How many of our councillors have not been there?’ because it is an eye-opener,” he said.

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