Carrickfergus: Prince Andrew Way name change will now be 'progressed at speed' after concern voiced over length of process

Letters are to be sent by Mid and East Antrim Borough Council to six households and four commercial premises located along the thoroughfare.

In November of last year, the council agreed to drop the street name in response to an Alliance motion after the former prince was stripped of his titles amid controversy over Andrew’s alleged links with convicted child sex offender Jeffrey Epstein which he has always denied.

In January, the council agreed to press ahead with the renaming of Prince Andrew Way against legal advice.

A report to councillors at the time indicated the local authority does not have a street naming or renaming policy and the council’s legal team advised a policy should be developed and approved before the renaming of Prince Andrew Way proceeds.

Speaking at a full meeting of council on Monday, Carrickfergus Castle Alliance Councillor Lauren Gray said: “It is somewhat disappointing that from January until now, it has not really moved on. The chamber was united in seeking a change of name for this street in Carrickfergus.

“I feel this was an independent decision made in the chamber. We were all united in that we should take that forward.”

Cllr Gray asked how quickly it will take for the process to be completed. A director said the issue of street naming “falls within the building control service area”.

He indicated the council’s intention to write to residents and commercial premises at Prince Andrew Way on September 1 to advise them of the decision to seek their views on an alternative royal name and advise of potential ramifications in terms of administration regarding mail.

Cllr Gray commented: “I am still a little confused why it has taken until now to put these steps in place. Is it not enough for the chamber to have made a decision when this is such a delicate decision we really wanted to move forward on?”

The director pointed out background work has been taking place and the process has not been stagnant and has included letters sent to the Royal household over the proposed name change.

A report presented to councillors noted: “The decision to rename Prince Andrew Way is unlikely to generate much controversy and therefore a legal challenge would not be likely.

“However, the concern would be that further down the line, a decision could be taken on a more controversial issue which would potentially create difficulties for council.”

The council was advised there is no requirement to have a policy in place in order to make a decision on street naming.

Carrickfergus Castle DUP Alderman Billy Ashe MBE said he wanted to highlight that councillors gave opinions on this issue “a long time ago” and then legal people got involved.

“We find out that there are two different legal opinions as usual and any good legal person will tell you it is only ever an opinion. Why have we got so risk adverse and got to the stage that doing a simple job like changing a street name is costing ratepayers money?”

Interim chief executive Valerie Watts replied: “We are guided by councillors in all that we do and I accept that 100 per cent.

“However, it is also the role of the chief executive of the council to make sure that due diligence is applied to everything that we do so that regardless of the decisions taken, we don’t end up doing something that either sends us to jail or closes us down etc.

“In the light of the advice that was given to me that had come in from a leading solicitor in another substantial sized council about this matter, in applying my due diligence to the situation, I felt it prudent to take our own barrister’s advice so that we did not get ourselves into any bother.

“If any of the blame for the delay rests on anybody’s shoulders, I am perfectly prepared to accept 100 per cent of that blame. However, I do note the members’ dissatisfaction right across the chamber about the delay in progressing this matter.”

She proceeded to offer an assurance the matter will now be “progressed at speed” to bring it to the “desired conclusion that members have outlined they want”.

Ald Ashe continued: “We had a workshop about this at the Rosspark Hotel where this council decided a long time ago that they would take risk and make progress.” He asked who has rescinded that decision.

He added: “If we can’t do the simple stuff quickly and efficiently, how are we going to do the big stuff like waste management. Are we going to end up simply sitting back and letting barristers tell us what to do?”

The interim chief executive said she was unaware of any meeting held in a hotel about the council’s “appetite for risk”.

She stated: “First and foremost, again, in applying due diligence to everything that I do within my own set of responsibilities, I would need to be assured that is a council decision.

“We can run further workshops, Alderman Ashe, around risk appetite if that is what is required particularly in the run-in to the forthcoming rates exercise that we are about to start again.”

She added there will be ”lots of debates and discussions around how to make best use of the council’s budget moving forward”.

Knockagh DUP Cllr Peter Johnston asked how much the council paid for the legal advice and if Mid and East Antrim has “indulged the other council” to update them on its advice.

The interim chief executive said the figure could not be disclosed in open council but it could be shared in closed council. “Undoubtedly, we went back to the other solicitor who contacted us to make them aware of the outcome of the barrister’s opinion,” she added.