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A Chief Executive who was found to have ‘not acted lawfully’ while facilitating land transactions has seen his wages rise by up to £10’000 in the last year. David Jackson CEO of Causeway Coast and Glens Council was also subject to a Human Resources complaint that found 15 allegations upheld against him including misleading a […]
Councillors will drive more staff to food banks and into poverty”. That was the stark message from Independent Councillor Padraig McShane following a debate on pay increases at last night’s monthly meeting. The Councillor refused to get into the details of what was discussed until the conclusion of negotiations with the Unions. But he hinted […]
Sexual Assault & Causeway Coast & Glens Council Freedom of Information processes
Spam folders and other Spin!!
Causeway Coast and Glens Council were asked to respond to an FOI request which centered around their continued employment of communications agency, ASG & Partners, while employee and son of the owner was convicted of sexual offences.
Causeway Coast & Glens Council have admitted that a freedom of information (FOI) request was not handled in accordance with legislation. (Today for most people it doesn’t really take Sherlock to work that one out)
The basis of the complaint is that Council did not respond nor acknowledge the request. (See Alister Agnew v Causeway Coast & Glens for abuses by council of information processes) The Council have a habit of withholding information.
In a reply from David Jackson the Chief Executive on the 14th September, he said that he reviewed the representations and found that requests were not handled in accordance with legislation and that the fault lay with ‘trigger words’ being used which resulted in emails going to a ‘quarantine system’ that are automatically deleted every 28 days. (Spam folders to you and me)
Not going to lie here but this is ‘scarcely believable’.
“How can we be asked to accept that no one would check the spam folder? Especially given Council and the person ultimately responsible for the Freedom of Information processes has been found to have withheld information in the past?
“Access to information is central to good governance and accountability. I have no reason to believe that staff are not regularly checking spam folders. This response appears to be a cowardly attempt to apportion blame on staff members – and not for the first time. Some leadership!
“Mr Kazinski who raised the issues had legitimate concern. Further he has brought it to the attention of Councillors. It’s now a priority for us to investigate and rectify this immediately. It will be difficult as those who continue to flout legislation around FOI and access to information are being protected by the DUP, Sinn Fein, UUP, PUP and Alliance.”
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In an unprecedented move, the Minister for the Department of Communities has begun to intervene in the running of a local government authority. Causeway Coast and Glens, has been at the centre of allegations of financial mismanagement for a number of months. The move follows numerous requests to the department and the NIAudit Office for […]
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Glens Independent Councillor Padraig McShane says he will continue to reject additional car parking charges in tourism hotspots in Causeway Coast and Glens. “The charges are the same as they were last month. Ill -considered, in many instances impractical and wrong”, stated Councillor McShane. “The failure to manage spending that has left us in this […]
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A rates hike of just under 10% for 2020/21 is being planned by a number of the big parties in Causeway Coast and Glens. The SDLP is the honourable exception. Attempts to get the rates to a figure under 10% are continuing in Causeway Coast and Glens. The magic number will then be sold as […]
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Glens Independent Councillor Padraig McShane has called for the department of infrastructure to call in any new application for a hotel at the Pits Portstewart. The Councillor stated; ”The Council was so badly compromised in its two previous handlings of the application that it would be, almost impossible for any decision not to be Judicially […]
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Council Threats To Dismiss Workers Who Refuse Less Favourable Terms of Employment Causeway Coast and Glens Council Officials have told workers Unions they reserve the right to serve notice of dismissal on Leisure centre staff if they do not accept less favourable terms of employment. The threats placed before Councillors at a workshop on harmonisation […]
Glens Independent Councillor Padraig McShane has described as “unashamedly irresponsible” proposals to hike rates by an additional 15.37% in Causeway Coast and Glens. The Councillor was speaking following a meeting of the Finance Committee. The Councillor stated; “The impact of this proposal has far reaching consequences for the business sector. It will throw […]
A Council plan to bulldoze Dundarave football pitch and newly constructed changing facilities in the centre of the village of Bushmills has been described by a Councillor as; “A blatant attack on the working class community of Woodvale and Dundarave”.
The pitch and changing facilities were developed, only five years ago, by the legacy Moyle District Council with an estimated three quarters of a million pounds investment. Plans to waste that investment, meant to support working class communities have been savaged by one former Moyle Councillor.
The comments, from the most unlikely of sources, emanated from Independent Glens Councillor Padraig McShane.
He spoke out after a Tourism Parking study commissioned by Council indicated that Dundarave football pitch should be used as an overspill for the Giants Causeway World Heritage Site and a signed petition from residents was ignored by senior executives.
The Councillor stated;
“I attended a familiarisation trip to several sites in the village with a number of Councillors. Before studies into the most suitable sites have been completed, a Council Executive was advising that only Dundarave football pitch will seriously be considered for new parking.
“I posed several questions highlighting the Covenants and planning restrictions that existed on the lands. In addition I asked about the need for ‘green spaces’ and leisure facilities adjacent to residents but the questions were dismissed. The health benefits of green space adjacent to working class residential communities are proven to enhancing life chances.
“In addition I asked if there was a petition signed by up to 600 residents in the village campaigning to retain the football pitch and the newly constructed changing facilities. Senior Executives did indicate there was a petition but unbelievable, they dismissed its relevance.
“There is clear evidence that private Business interests in the village have influence at Executive level in Council and are riding roughshod over the interests of working class communities. The document presented to Council and giving a scoring matrix on sites did not at any stage consider the impact on the community. I raise these points not only for Bushmills, but numerous projects that seem on the surface to be legitimate but, on closer inspection, have preordained outcomes.
“The idea that we remove these facilities from the heart of the community and provide them on an edge of or out of settlement location beggars belief!”
Anyone requiring further information is asked to contact Councillor McShane on 07828112129
KEEP LEFT!!! councillor padraig mcshane 