Lurgan lights far superior councillor says

Councillor Darryn Causby claimed that Portadown was being treated unfairly with its “mish-mash of a display compared with the superb show in Lurgan”.

He added that a request for an additional £10,000 was small change compared to the £500,000 being spent to improve the Civic Centre in the teeth of the reorganisation of local government in 2015.

“There must be a proper connection from Edenderry to the main streets,” he added.

“The town simply deserves better than the poor shows of the past.”

Councillor Gemma McKenna said that an additional £8,000 had been agreed by the committee, but Councillor Colin McCusker said that had been reduced from £27,000, which wasn’t good enough.

Alderman Arnold Hatch then made a proposal that it should be discussed at Wednesday’s night committee meeting and the decision taken at the mid-monthly full council meeting.

Councillor Ken Twyble agreed that Lurgan’s display was superior, adding that Portadown’s public street lighting left a lot to be desired.

“The street lighting after the public realms is simply not up to scratch,” he added.

“There a black hole in the centre of town in the absence of poles – and this means there is nowhere in the central reservation to support Christmas lighting. It’s a poor show all round.”