Belfast “disappointed” as Lisburn Castlereagh fails to commit to help crisis-hit Lagan Valley Regional Park

At a recent committee meeting at Belfast City Hall, elected representatives for the city noted a response letter from Lisburn and Castlereagh City Council in which they failed to agree to a request from Belfast to match their obligation of a £21,000 funding package this year for the park.

Lagan Valley Regional Park is being subjected to a £42,000 funding cut from the Stormont Department of Infrastructure, and councillors at Belfast’s local authority said they would agree to covering half of that amount, if councillors at Lisburn and Castlereagh agreed to do the same.

The regional park runs from Belfast to Lisburn along the river with the towpath at its centre. It is Northern Ireland’s only regional park and is a dedicated area of natural beauty.

Last August park manager Dr Andy Bridge said: “The cut will mean staff losses, and push the park below a critical mass of operational functionality. In short, it risks the collapse of the park.”

The Belfast Council Strategic Policy and Resources Committee at its meeting on 24 November 2023 agreed to allocate £21,000 to the Lagan Valley Regional Park on condition that it be matched by Lisburn and Castlereagh City Council.

But in the response correspondence Lisburn Castlereagh has made no commitment to match fund the park, and added they were having to “consider several budget cuts from central government and their impact at a local level.”

David Burns, Chief Executive of Lisburn and Castlereagh Council, wrote to John Walsh, Chief Executive of Belfast City Council: “It is disappointing that the Department for Infrastructure withdrew the funding for 2023/24 for this collaborative project.

“At our Community and Wellbeing Committee the Members asked that we write to the Department, which we undertook to do so. To date I have not received correspondence from Dfl regarding the budget situation for 2024/25.”

He added: “Like yourselves we are having to consider several budget cuts from central government and in particular their impact at a local level. To date we have discussed these issues in the chamber and at member workshops.

“Therefore, it would not be prudent for us to take through individual deficit requests which have a financial impact, rather we will consider these in the round to ensure members are fully informed, prior to making any decisions.”

At the recent Belfast Strategic Policy and Resources Committee, Sinn Féin Councillor and committee chair Christina Black said the Lisburn Castlereagh response was “quite vague.”

Alliance Councillor Jenna Maghie said the LCCC response was “disappointing” and proposed Belfast go ahead and put forward £21,000 regardless of the other local authority.

She said: “They (Lagan Park) are at risk of having to put their staff on protective notice. As someone who has worked in the community and voluntary sector, that is not a place where we want people to be, and it will have a really detrimental impact on the park.

“I would hope by us getting on board and doing that it might put some pressure on Lisburn Castlereagh to do the same.”