Residents Launch District Wide Petition and Open Letter Calling for Leadership Change at Newry, Mourne and Down District Council
Council Watch was set up as a response to ongoing issues of concern to residents in Newcastle and those concerned about the environmental integrity of the Mournes.
As Newry Mourne and Down District Council proceeded to develop the Belfast City Deal programme, the ‘Gondola project’ involved installing a chairlift-styled operation up to Thomas’ Quarry half way up Slieve Donard, where a visitor centre was planned, concerns were subsequently raised initially at local level.
Since them other issues have arisen and frustrated local residents have expressed their significant discontent at Council decisions and actions.
As the media was effectively excluded from items on the agenda going ‘into committee’, because the Council was invoking articles of the Local Government Act 2014, it has been near impossible to work out what was in fact going on from a press point-of-view.
The role of the media is supposed to be an independent and unbiased means of supporting good governance and democratic institutions. It is the Fourth Column. The media is often referred to as the fourth pillar of democracy, playing a crucial role in shaping public opinion, driving development, and holding power to account. And as an objective body it should hold all parties to account.
Matters, never-the-less, have come to a head as disgruntled residents from Downpatrick to Newry have now come together as a body of ten community and environmental groups calling for a radical change of direction in council policy and management.
Areas where councillors could be held accountable include, surcharge, wilful misconduct, breach of fiduciary duty and misfeasance in public office, and ultra vires (acting beyond legal powers). The stakes can be high.
Hopefully none of the above legal circumstances applies in the case of Newry Mourne and Down District Council and that all parties can find a way to move forward with positive outcomes for all concerned in the interest of the ratepayers and local residents.
The buck stops with the councillors who are approving the decisions to be implemented by council management, and they [the councillors] could be held responsible in the court of public opinion as the next election looms if it transpires that they have taken their eye off the ball.
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COUNCIL WATCH CALLS FOR LEADERSHIP CHANGE AND GOVERNANCE REFORM
In a comprehensive press statement from the residents’ accountability group, Council Watch, the group has launched a district-wide public petition alongside an open letter to all elected councillors demanding immediate leadership change and governance reform at Newry Mourne and Down District Council.
The campaign, supported by a coalition of community organisations and concerned citizens, is calling on councillors to pass a vote of no confidence in Chief Executive Marie Ward and Director of Economy, Regeneration and Tourism Conor Mallon. It is also demanding an independent investigation into “documented governance failures and urgent reforms to improve transparency and financial oversight”.
The Key Concerns Raised by the Council Watch Group on the Mourne Gateway Project
Council Watch states that its action follows what it describes as “a clear and repeated pattern of costly project failures, poor financial management, and disregard for public accountability.”
The petition and open letter highlight several key issues.
Firstly, the Mourne Gateway Project, the proposed visitor attraction, initially planned for Thomas’s Mountain Newcastle and later redirected toward Kilbroney Forest Park, is cited as an example of “governance breakdown”.
The Campaigners pointed to (alleged):
- Failure to secure landowner agreement before public announcements
- Lack of meaningful public consultation
- At least £1.35 million of public money spent on unsuccessful proposals
- Potential risk to £30 million in Belfast Region City Deal funding.
In response to this, a spokesperson from Newry Mourne and Down District Council said: “In relation to the Mourne Mountains Gateway project, this was managed in line with Council and Belfast Region City Deal (BRCD) governance processes.
“All matters relating to the project — including land ownership, public announcements, public consultation and finance — were reported and agreed through the Council’s governance structure, including programme boards, the Strategy Policy and Resources Committee and full Council.
“Both the Strategic Outline Business Case and the Outline Business Case were approved in line with Council and BRCD governance requirements and were considered by the Department of Finance and the Department for Economy.
“An alternative concept proposal was presented by the Council and approved by the BRCD Executive Board at a meeting last week. Subject to approval through the Council’s governance processes, work will begin to further develop the proposal and prepare an Outline Business Case. Reallocation of the funding will be subject to business case approval by the BRCD Executive Board in the first instance, and ultimately Executive approval.”
On the Newry and Downpatrick Flood Response (November 2023)
The Council Watch group has alleged on part of the Council, inadequate preparation, delayed emergency response, and failure to distribute financial support to affected residents and businesses.
Again, in a right to reply, the Council spokesperson said: “In relation to the Newry and Downpatrick Flood Response (November 2023), the Department for Infrastructure (DfI) was the lead agency for flood response in 2023. The Council worked alongside DfI and other Multi Agency partners in response to flooding across the district and distributed £118,000 of SEFA funding to residential properties on behalf of DfC and approximately £5million in grant funding, on behalf of the Department for Economy to impacted businesses across the district.”
Newry Civic Hub Project was another area where Council Watch campaigners expressed concerns citing ongoing cost overruns, submission of incorrect planning applications by the council as planning authority, use of confidential legal advice to limit scrutiny, and over 2,600 letters of public objection that they say were disregarded.
Again the Council spokesperson replied saying: “In relation to the Civic and Regional Hub project, the Council applies local government legislation in relation to confidential business. The decision with regards to planning is subject to an application for leave for Judicial Review which is being considered by the Courts.”
Warrenpoint Port Environmental Issues
Residents have raised long-standing concerns regarding environmental nuisance and enforcement of regulations, which the group claims remain unresolved.
Council Spokesperson Replies To Warrenpoint Harbour Issues
In a lengthy statement, the Council spokesperson said: “The operations at Warrenpoint Port are licensed by the Department for Agriculture, Environment and Rural affairs. All complaints received by the Council’s Environmental Health Department in relation to alleged nuisance at Warrenpoint Port have been investigated and complainants informed of the outcome of the investigations.
“The Council held a Special Council meeting on 25 March 2024 in relation to the environmental concerns at Warrenpoint Port and an Emergency Notice of Motion was tabled and approved at a meeting of Full Council in July 2025. The Notice of Motion read as follows:
“This Council condemns in the strongest possible terms the ongoing and escalating negative impact that the storage and handling of household waste by ReGen at Warrenpoint Port is having on the people of Warrenpoint and the surrounding area; Highlights with deep concern the serious and persistent deterioration in environmental and public health conditions, including overwhelming odours, an increased presence of flies and vermin; Notes that these conditions are not only a major nuisance but represent a growing public health risk to residents, particularly those living in close proximity to the port, including families with young children and vulnerable individuals…
[it] further condemns the reappearance of these unacceptable environmental nuisances during the recent Wake the Giant Festival, an event central to the district’s cultural and tourism offering, and warns of the likely disruption to other summer festivals and community activities should this issue remain unresolved; Asserts that the ongoing presence of RDF waste in a densely populated, residential and recreational area is wholly inappropriate and has resulted in residents being forced to endure foul smells, an inability to open windows, enjoy outdoor spaces, or run local businesses without disruption; Warns that Warrenpoint’s economic prosperity, social wellbeing, and long-term reputation are under serious threat if immediate action is not taken to end this situation, which has persisted for over two years; Agrees to write urgently to the Chair of the Warrenpoint Harbour Authority Board, the Minister for Infrastructure, Liz Kimmins MLA; the Minister for Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs, Andrew Muir MLA, and the Chief Executive of the Northern Ireland Environment Agency (NIEA) to make clear this council’s position: that the handling and storage of RDF waste in Warrenpoint in such close proximity to homes, community and public spaces is unacceptable and unsuitable; And calls on them to initiate formal discussions with ReGen. It was also agreed to invite the Warrenpoint Harbour Authority to Council to provide an update on the ongoing situation.”
“Please note, any decisions taken by the Council are documented, and any concerns relating to decisions of the Council can be considered by the Audit Committee and/or external bodies with oversight of Council decisions.”
Calls for Action By Council Watch and the Group of 10
Through its petition and open letter, Council Watch is calling on councillors to:
- Pass a vote of no confidence in the current Chief Executive and Director of Economy, Regeneration and Tourism
- Establish an independent investigation into council governance failures, with findings published publicly
- Implement urgent transparency reforms to prevent misuse of confidentiality provisions
Council Watch said: “This is not about party politics. It is about accountability. Repeated governance failures have cost ratepayers millions and eroded public trust. The time for excuses has passed. Councillors must now decide whether they stand with residents or with a failing administration.”
The open letter has been endorsed by a coalition of community organisations including:
- Carlingford Lough Keepers
- Council Watch: Newry, Mourne and Down
- Downpatrick Community Collective
- Ecojustice Ireland
- Friends of the Meadow and Kilbroney Forest Park
- Mourne Gateway Info Group
- Newry 2020
- No Boats, No Votes
- Rostrevor Action Respecting the Environment
- Rotten to the Point
“Council Watch states that the response of elected representatives “will determine whether public trust in local government can be restored.”
Organisers would like to encourage concerned ratepayers to join Council Watch where they can also sign and share the petition at:
https://www.facebook.com/councilwatch.public
The petition is also available at:
https://my.actnowni.org/petitions/time-for-change-we-demand-accountability-in-nmddc
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What lies ahead ?
There is a judicial review pending in the pipeline, and this no doubt will be costly for the parties concerned. But what is the answer to the cries of the campaigners and bureaucratic responses from local government ? (writes Jim Masson.)
Legal actions should be a thing of the last resort. They are expensive, often time consuming, and sometimes the outcomes are undesired by both parties. And they make building relationships and trust just that more difficult.
Perhaps it is time to tread on another path before positions further harden, as all avenues should be positively explored. I think MEDIATION is an option and can have excellent outcomes if both parties engage in a good spirit. But that is the premise.
There are excellent agencies highly experienced such as Mediation NI who could manage such a process and help repair the damage to the integrity of the local government system and bolster the confidence in the wider community about our local council.
I have mentioned the idea of developing a mediation platform in the council area for some time across the DEAs , to address local ‘hot spots’ and issues. There is already a pool of trained councillors in County Down and the council area. It would allow the council to get on with its business and prevent a series of distracting, running crises spilling onto council matters. This situation needs to be stabilised.
I never thought I would be dabbling again in Max Weber’s Theory of Bureaucracy from my student days at QUB, but in any bureaucracy there are formal and informal mechanisms and rules. Our council is no different. The amalgamation of Newry City Council and Down District Council has created a much larger bureaucracy which is more corporate run, less personal. We have to take that aboard and we must too accept that some decisions are made informally as well as formally. But there is a balance in accountability. And we have to be sensitive to that balance in our council.
Otherwise matters get stressful and the wheels may come off. So we need to reflect too on this style of doing business. It may not resonate with people used to the old ways in or out of the council, but councillors need to adjust to this too – as well as management in a positive way going forward.
I spoke to one councillor recently who said: “The council isn’t the same any more.” That’s because it has evolved into a bigger institution with different rules and structures. It’s much less personal. It has morphed and there is no point in idealising about it but to grapple with the present realities and mechanisms and make it work for all the residents in the council area.
If everyone puts in their tuppence worth in a meaningful way, ideas can shape the future of the council for the better. People do need to be listened to outside consultation periods. (That is the informal part that is not working.) Dialogue has weakened or broken down. Empathetic channels need to be opened up again and re-established. There needs to be a process of healing, so…
Could one of the 41 councillors I wonder pick up on this idea of mediation and run with it as a motion to council ? (A positive outcome!).
© Jim Masson.
