Latest news with #MidAndEastAntrim
BBC News
27-06-2025
- Politics
- BBC News
Mid and East Antrim Council: Two prosecutions over deleted emails
Two people are to be prosecuted following a police investigation into Mid and East Antrim Public Prosecution Service (PPS) says it's linked to the alleged deletion of e-mails related to a Freedom of Information person is being prosecuted for three offences under section 77 of the Freedom of Information other is facing one charge under the same act. A total of four people were reported on a police file submitted to the PPS for a statement the PPS said that the available evidence in relation to the other two people being investigated is insufficient to provide a reasonable prospect of conviction and therefore the test for prosecution is not twice searched the council offices in October 2021 and then the following BBC Spotlight programme previously reported it was connected to alleged attempts to delete correspondence relating to the decision to withdraw council staff operating under the post-Brexit trade conditions known as the Northern Ireland Protocol. The staff, who were carrying out checks on goods arriving from Great Britain, were removed because of apparent threats from loyalist later emerged the then council chief executive Anne Donaghy had written to the UK Cabinet Office before the decision to remove staff was told the UK government that graffiti had been directly targeting council staff working on then Agriculture Minister Edwin Poots subsequently withdrew inspectors performing the checks at ports in Northern shortly after, all staff had returned to duties with the PSNI issuing a written threat assessment stating it had no information to support claims of loyalist paramilitaries threatening staff safety.
Telegraph
11-06-2025
- Telegraph
Rioters set fire to leisure centre in Northern Ireland
A third night of unrest erupted in Northern Ireland on Wednesday when rioters set a leisure centre on fire. Balaclava-clad youths targeted the sports facility in Larne, Co Antrim, after it emerged that people displaced by previous violence were temporarily housed there. The seaside town is 20 miles to the east of Ballymena, where anti-migrant disorder was triggered by the alleged attempted rape of a schoolgirl at the hands of two Romanian-speaking teenagers. Footage showed flames engulfing the glass-fronted leisure centre, where windows had been smashed by projectiles. Tracksuit-wearing rioters attacked the building the day after it was used as a temporary shelter for the residents of houses targeted in Ballymena on Tuesday night. There was also fresh unrest in Ballymena, with crowds hurling bottles and rocks at riot police in the town centre. Mid and East Antrim borough council confirmed it had used the leisure centre as an 'emergency shelter for families in urgent need following disturbances in Ballymena'. 'The families have all been safely relocated,' a spokesman said. Mr Lyons later added: 'Wanton destruction such as the attack on Larne Leisure Centre is an attack on all residents who use the facility. There is absolutely no excuse for what has taken place in Larne, and it must be condemned.' In Ballymena, police in full riot gear clashed with rioters as a crowd of approximately 500 people gathered. Police in full riot gear with shields attempted to clear the crowds as bottles and rocks were thrown at them. On Tuesday, the second night of violence in Ballymena saw rioters set alight properties where foreigners were believed to live and attack police with petrol bombs, masonry and fireworks. The riots were condemned as 'racist thuggery' by the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) after residents were forced to display the British flag on their homes in attempts to avoid them being set alight. A water cannon, dogs and rubber bullets were used by officers to contain the 'serious disorder' in Ballymena. Unrest also erupted in areas of Belfast, Lisburn, Coleraine and Newtownabbey earlier in the evening. Police have arrested six suspected rioters so far. The two 14-year-old boys charged with attempted rape will next appear in court on July 2.
Yahoo
17-05-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
'Safety fears' over lack of family-friendly car parking spaces
A mother of three who is also a Mid and East Antrim Borough councillor is calling for more parent and child parking in off-street car parks. Lauren Gray brought forward the motion to the council following difficulties getting her own children out of the car safely. "I've had to leave my three-year-old with my baby on the sidewalk while I try to reverse to get the doors open," she said. "That really is a safety fear but I had no other option." The council said the borough currently has 13 family-friendly bays in its town car parks with plans for that number to increase. Mid and East Antrim Council is one of only five local authorities in Northern Ireland with parent and child spaces at its council-run car parks. This does not include facilities at leisures centres. But Ms Gray said the number of family-friendly spaces was "lacking" in the council's car parks. "Modern life doesn't really blend well with our existing town infrastructure because our towns are quite old," she said. She said increasing the number of bays would "ease stress for local families and carers" who need to get toddlers, babies and prams out of their cars. "We need to make our town centre more accessible if we want people to come and shop and spend time here," she added. "Not only is this a real safety issue for parents and carers, it really is a combined effort to get everybody into the town centre so that we can continue to grow and increase our footfall." Amy Moore from Whitehead, County Antrim, agreed, saying it was "definitely hard getting out of a normal car parking space with two children". "Anywhere that we go to park we need both doors open to get them out," she said. "We've got the baby bag and all of the things to get out of the car so we definitely need the extra space." Mrs Moore said, on occasion, she has "driven around three or four times to find a space that would be suitable". "I think a lot of the cars now have increased in size now but the spaces haven't increased as well," she said. Amy's mother Anna Rolloos has four grandchildren and said it can be "difficult" to get them all in and out of the car. Ms Rolloos said she needs space to open the doors, get the pram out and her youngest grandchild strapped in before getting the other children out. "It's the safety of having them all close beside you, being able to open the doors of the car," she said. "One of the children maybe needs someone holding their hand." She said having parent and child spaces close to shops is "excellent" as it means "not having to walk them through a busy car park". The motion calling for more parent and child parking bays at Mid and East Antrim Borough Council was backed unanimously in February. A spokesperson added that an additional 22 family-friendly bays were due to be added in Ballymena car parks. Derry City and Strabane Council recently introduced new bays and Antrim and Newtownabbey Borough Council has plans to increase the number of spaces from 14 to 18. Belfast City Council has 17 family-friendly spaces across 30 car parks with no plans to increase that number, while Lisburn and Castlereagh City Council has six such spaces with plans for additional spaces in the pipeline. Ards and North Down Council as well as Armagh, Banbridge and Craigavon Borough Council have no family-friendly spaces at their off-street car parks, but there are some at their leisure facilities. Newry, Mourne and Down District Council does not provide any parent and child car parking spaces within its car parks, adding that councils are "not legally obligated" to do so. Mid Ulster does not have any parent and child spaces in any of the council-maintained car parks and has no plans to change that. Likewise, Fermanagh and Omagh District Council does not provide parent-child parking spaces in its off street car parks but is currently reviewing its overall car parking plan. Causeway Coast and Glens said the council did not keep a record of such information.
BBC News
17-05-2025
- Automotive
- BBC News
Safety fears over lack of parent and child parking spaces
A mother of three who is also a Mid and East Antrim Borough councillor is calling for more parent and child parking in off-street car Gray brought forward the motion to the council following difficulties getting her own children out of the car safely."I've had to leave my three-year-old with my baby on the sidewalk while I try to reverse to get the doors open," she said. "That really is a safety fear but I had no other option."The council said the borough currently has 13 family-friendly bays in its town car parks with plans for that number to increase. Mid and East Antrim Council is one of only five local authorities in Northern Ireland with parent and child spaces at its council-run car parks. This does not include facilities at leisures Ms Gray said the number of family-friendly spaces was "lacking" in the council's car parks."Modern life doesn't really blend well with our existing town infrastructure because our towns are quite old," she said increasing the number of bays would "ease stress for local families and carers" who need to get toddlers, babies and prams out of their cars."We need to make our town centre more accessible if we want people to come and shop and spend time here," she added."Not only is this a real safety issue for parents and carers, it really is a combined effort to get everybody into the town centre so that we can continue to grow and increase our footfall." 'Cars are bigger, spaces aren't' Amy Moore from Whitehead, County Antrim, agreed, saying it was "definitely hard getting out of a normal car parking space with two children"."Anywhere that we go to park we need both doors open to get them out," she said."We've got the baby bag and all of the things to get out of the car so we definitely need the extra space."Mrs Moore said, on occasion, she has "driven around three or four times to find a space that would be suitable"."I think a lot of the cars now have increased in size now but the spaces haven't increased as well," she said. 'Difficult' with four grandchildren Amy's mother Anna Rolloos has four grandchildren and said it can be "difficult" to get them all in and out of the Rolloos said she needs space to open the doors, get the pram out and her youngest grandchild strapped in before getting the other children out."It's the safety of having them all close beside you, being able to open the doors of the car," she said."One of the children maybe needs someone holding their hand."She said having parent and child spaces close to shops is "excellent" as it means "not having to walk them through a busy car park". The motion calling for more parent and child parking bays at Mid and East Antrim Borough Council was backed unanimously in February.A spokesperson added that an additional 22 family-friendly bays were due to be added in Ballymena car parks. What is happening at off-street car parks in other areas? Derry City and Strabane Council recently introduced new bays and Antrim and Newtownabbey Borough Council has plans to increase the number of spaces from 14 to City Council has 17 family-friendly spaces across 30 car parks with no plans to increase that number, while Lisburn and Castlereagh City Council has six such spaces with plans for additional spaces in the and North Down Council as well as Armagh, Banbridge and Craigavon Borough Council have no family-friendly spaces at their off-street car parks, but there are some at their leisure facilities. Newry, Mourne and Down District Council does not provide any parent and child car parking spaces within its car parks, adding that councils are "not legally obligated" to do Ulster does not have any parent and child spaces in any of the council-maintained car parks and has no plans to change Fermanagh and Omagh District Council does not provide parent-child parking spaces in its off street car parks but is currently reviewing its overall car parking Coast and Glens said the council did not keep a record of such information.
