Statistics reveal claims capital title undeserved

The Minister Edwin Poots has released a breakdown of compensation claims lodged by members of the public against local councils over the past five years.

The data comprises claims for damage to vehicles arising from instances of driver error or "alleged" negligence by council employees.

It also includes claims against local councils for personal injuries resulting from various types of falls, slips or trips on council property.

But despite the received wisdom often touted at home and abroad portraying Londonderry as the claim capital of Ulster the figures do not support this. If truth be told the citizens and burghers of Belfast, Ards, Newtonabbey and Craigavon are more litigious.

Over the past five years a total of 274 claims were registered in the Londonderry area. This gave a rate of claims per head of population of 398.

This was a lesser rate than in Belfast (1,482 claims; 181 per capita), Ards (237 claims; 327 per capita), Newtonabbey (227 claims; 364 per capita) and Craigavon (236 claims; 384 per capita).

Since 2004/5 there have been 136 claims made against Derry City Council for damage to vehicles and 138 claims for personal injuries.

In relation to the damaged vehicles Mr Poots stated: "The main reasons for the claims may be categorised as driver error or 'alleged' negligence by council employees."

And with regard to the personal injuries he added: "The vast majority of claims resulted from various types of falls, slips or trips on council property."

The figures were revealed in response to a question tabled at the Northern Ireland Assembly. The population figures used to calculate the number of claims per capita in each council area were taken from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) estimates for 2008.