Drama at Council over Tesco plans

Veteran Ballycastle Independent councillor Seamus Blaney said taking part in rehearsals for the Sam Cree play ‘Family Fever’ would be “more fun” than staying at Sheskburn House.

Cllr Blaney said many people in Ballycastle could not understand why the majority of councillors are not supporting Tesco’s bid to come to the town and said people wondered how the local representatives could make up their minds for them.

He wanted to know if the Council would facilitate people who want Tesco to come to the town in the same way that the Council gave a platform to traders who fear an out-of-town Tesco site will destroy Ballycastle town centre.

Cllr Blaney said a taxi driver did a survey and he got over 640 people who said they want to see a Tesco store in Ballycastle.

He said not one councillor achieved that many votes although Cllr Oliver McMullan (Sinn Fein) disagreed.

Cllr Blaney proposed that another vote be taken on Monday night on the issue to show that the Council does support Tesco and Ulster Unionist councillor Willie Graham seconded the proposal.

Cllr Paudie McShane (Sinn Fein) said the fact councillors are elected by the people gave them the right to speak on the issue and he said if there is a demand for a Tesco store it will undoubtedly come to pass.

Council Chairperson, Cllr Cara McShane (Sinn Fein), said trying to force another vote on the issue showed how “farcical” the Council is in constantly voting on the same issues because the Council does not have any ‘Standing Orders’.

Cllr Blaney said they had voted seven or eight times on other issues and Cllr McShane said the matter should be put on the agenda for another meeting.

Cllr Cara McShane said all councillors are there with a mandate and she said Cllr Blaney was trying to “gag” them over their right to make decisions but Cllr Blaney said it was in fact he was being gagged by no vote being allowed.

Cllr Cara McShane asked if Cllr Blaney has sent in a letter of support for Tesco and she said she was not allowing Cllr Blaney’s proposal for a new vote on the matter and said he should put it on the agenda for another meeting.

Cllr Blaney said other issues which were not on the agenda had already been discussed at the meeting.

He said Sinn Fein was siding with the traders in the town and said: “I’m surprised being a socialist party that you are for the big boys.”

He then got up and left saying: “I have to go and act in a play. It will be more fun than this.”

Today (Tuesday), Cllr Blaney denied it was a protest ‘walk-out’ and said he had always planned to leave the meeting to take part in the play practice at the McAllister Hall where he is playing the role of Patrick Hull in ‘Family Fever’.

In March Moyle Council split in relation to the application by Tesco to build a store at Leyland Road.

Seven councillors - made up of Sinn Fein and SDLP - voted not to send a letter of support to planners for the Tesco store at that location.

Five other councillors voted to support Tesco and after the vote, DUP councillor Robert McIlroy said it would be interesting to see the reaction of local people to the decision.

It is understood many councillors have no objections to a Tesco store coming to a suitable town centre location in Ballycastle but many councillors are opposed to an ‘out-of-town’ location.