Dervock group wants signs cleaned up

They have been involved in discussions with Roads Service and it understood that group members will have discussions with the local community in a bid to stop a repeat of such incidents and Roads Service will clean or replace the signs.

A DRD Road Service spokesperson said: “Roads Service officials attended a meeting with the police and community leaders on Wednesday. At this stage we will continue to work with police and the local community to find a longer term solution to this problem.”

The Dervock and District Community Association met with Road Services Manager John McKinley on Wednesday the 21st March at the Mill Tea Room Dervock.

The subject for discussion was the continuing clean up in the village prior to the Olympic Festival planned for the village.

One area the discussions centred on was the problem of vandalism to road signage in the Dervock village centre.

Vandals have sprayed black paint over the direction signage to Ballycastle and the Dervock & District Community Association are keen to have the signs cleaned up or replaced.

Steven Phillips, Deputy Chair of the Association, said: “It would be great if we can get Road Services to get this clean up under way as soon as possible”.

John McKinley from Road Service explained that with his department had an ever reducing ‘pot’ of money to spend generally in these hard economic times and expressed concern that if the signage was replaced it may be attacked by vandals again.

The local association assured Mr McKinley that they would work with the various groups in the village “to try to stop this needless vandalism happening again”.

Other various cosmetic issues with regard to road surfaces and inspection issues were dealt with and the Association thanked Mr McKinley for his help and reassurances with regard to the Village clean up.

Also at the meeting was Ballymoney’s Deputy Mayor, Tom McKeown from the Ulster Unionist Party, who said: “With the clean up envisaged and with the planned festival it can only be all good for the local residents especially the local businesses”.

Sergeant David Moore from the PSNI’s Neighbourhood Policing Unit was also at the meeting and pledged support from the local neighbourhood team who have been working very hard in the village in recent years.

Dervock and District Community Association are keen to hear from anyone who would like to ‘come on board’ with them to make this summer a success for every one in Dervock.

Said Steven Phillips: “We have the Queens Jubilee celebrations, the Olympic festival, and Dervock’s very own Civic Week to look forward too.

“Benvarden Community Association are at an advanced stage with the Dervock & District Association in planning a joint Ulster Scots festival and there will be more detailed news on that very soon.

“Finally the Association would like to thank John McKinley (Roads Service) Cllr Tom McKeown (UUP) and Sergeant David Moore (PSNI) who gave up their time to listen to the Association’s call for help with the village clean up.