DUP votes against Sunday opening

The DUP has voted against a temporary rule to allowLisburn council football pitches to open on a Sunday.
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Despite the party’s objections councillors voted for the city’s facilities to be made available seven days a week, as they are in Castlereagh.

It’s an interim measure until a full report can be brought to the Leisure Committee.

DUP councillors argued a decision should be held off until it was available. They were voted down, 23 votes to 14.

Alliance Cllr David Honeyford said the extra day would help clubs who were “struggling with pitch availability”.

He added: “We’re one council, and we’re just bringing in one rule. I just want a decision – and the decision is that on Sunday is that we can have games playing and using our other facilities like we can in Carryduff and Dundonald.”

A report had been due to come before council on Tuesday, more than six months after it was first tabled at a leisure committee meeting.

DUP’s James Tinsley said he would “like to have sight of it” before voting.

His colleague Allan Ewart asked if churches and residents had been asked their opinion.

UUP’s Alderman Jim Dillon, who voted with the DUP, said it would be “lunacy” and set a “dangerous precedent” to make a decision before it returned to the committee. 

Council-owned pitches in Lisburn will now be available to book from September 27.

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