Stephen Nicholl

As we enter the final few days of councils rate setting process rumours circulate about the scale of increases being planned by Mid and East Antrim Borough Council. During my time there prior to 2019 I warned that failure to address structural issues would lead to a crisis, that crisis arrived late last year with the announcement of a circa £7 million black hole.  Should it transpire that the corporate response is to introduce double digit rates increases then its clear that sufficient lessons have not been learned.  For new councillors the blame is not theirs, those who have sat in the chamber the longest carry the biggest responsibility for failing to challenge the mindset. But therein lies a lesson. In the late 1980’s Star Trek The Next Generation introduced us to a new species of alien, the Borg. A species which sought not to eradicate other species but assimilate them into the collective, a single all encompassing hive mind from which no original thought could originate. ...

Ulster Unionist Councillor Stephen Nicholl has condemned the theft of ATM's from Tesco in Ballymena and called for a more realistic response from banks. "Once again a local community has been inconvenienced by well organised criminal gangs raiding, seemingly at will, across Northern Ireland. Not only are we losing the ATM's in areas where they have been stolen but we are also seeing the gradual withdrawal of services elsewhere as ATM's are not being replenished or having limited cash restocked. It would seem a rational move to have alarms fitted to ATM's activated by excessive movement or tracking software installed as most phones have. Banks certainly have a responsibility to protect not only their property but the businesses undermined by both the physical and economic damage. We cannot expect the PSNI to be everywhere but on this occasion, fortunately, the PSNI interrupted the robbers and gave chase. Hopefully enough evidence has been gathered to...

Over the next few weeks I'll be publishing a number of videos highlighting key issues in Mid and East Antrim, of particular concern is the way council uses it's borrowing powers. Long term, sustainable financial management is key to delivering value for money and reduced rates.

As we enter into the election period there are some parties whose grasp of facts and events has become less than robust. To aid in the understanding of historic events I have published the Ulster Unionist position in relation to the rates setting process in Mid and East Antrim Borough Council for the 2018/2019 financial year. This is not something written with the benefit of hindsight but the actual minute of the meeting at which the rates were set. It is for the public to decide if, on that date and in those circumstances, we were accountable and responsible.

Following the release of the draft Withdrawal Agreement Sir Jeffrey Donaldson was asked about the impact on the Confidence and Supply Agreement between the DUP and the Conservative Party. It was noted that not all the promised funding had yet been provided and may be lost. Sir Jeffrey replied that in such a scenario the DUP could recoup the funds by negotiation with the Government on a vote by vote basis. Since the 2007 St Andrews Agreement the DUP have reduced unionist politics in Northern Ireland to a single issue, the DUP must have more seats than Sinn Fein. Irrespective of social policy, economic policy or any other issue, political control due to this one issue is absolute. Ten years of this form of politics has delivered a party whose arrogance and complete rejection of normal politics has transformed the world’s impression of unionism. Believing the Union is protected by the principle of consent in the Belfast Agreement, the DUP have played fast and loose with probity, gov...

“We can afford it” A simple enough phrase intended to assure those listening that financial arrangements are sound and in good order. Except that on its own the phrase contains none of the detail required to determine the voracity of the statement. For example, I can afford a Rolls Royce. If I were to arrive home this evening in a Rolls I could, in response to my wife’s inevitable quizzical look, state “We can afford it”. She will of course seek further clarification at which point I can point out that by not paying for heating oil, electric, rates, holidays, telephone etc. the car is easily affordable. After a very short discussion, led by her, on the nature of affordability the car will be returned to dealership forthwith. I won’t pick up a Rolls Royce tonight because I understand a very basic governance and financial management rule, whether at home, in a company boardroom or a council chamber, when someone says “we can afford it” the response is not “great” the proper res...

Unionism is facing its own existential crisis and must learn how to come to terms with it. Put simply the Democratic Unionist Party represent a clear threat to the very union they purport to uphold. In May 1974 then Prime Minister Harold Wilson used the term “spongers” to describe unionists involved in the UWC strike. Today it is a term that many in the rest of the UK would apply to what the DUP consider robust negotiations.   Losing the goodwill of our fellow UK citizens at a time when Northern Ireland’s position in the UK is the principle barrier to many achieving the Brexit they aspire to cannot be considered a strategic position to take. The DUP constantly refer to the principle of consent underpinned in the Belfast Agreement, an agreement they had no hand in, yet they miss the point that while people are free to make their own determination others are free to try and persuade them of one view or the other. Ignoring this point is central to the risks attached to their t...

There is a saying, “never look a gift horse in the mouth”. It’s an old saying and suggests that people should not question or be ungrateful for something they are receiving free. This is Sunday, she wasn’t a gift horse, but she illustrates the point I want to make. The cost of keeping Sunday over many years is the same whether she cost money initially or was free. There are vets fees, blacksmith fees, stabling costs, transport costs, haylage, pony nuts and the cost of replacing tack. Local authorities take an interesting approach to a gift horse, they are always welcomed whether free or as a highly subsidised purchase. Of course a horse needs a paddock costing say £20,000 but if you can get 4 paddocks for £60,000 then the unit price is £15,000 and better value for money. It also needs a stable, but if you have 4 paddocks you have room for more stables and more horses, so just in case more gift horses appear, you build more stables. More stables and more horses mean ...

Climate of fear in parts of Ballymena must be brought to an end Ulster Unionist Councillor Stephen Nicholl has called on police, courts and agencies such as the Housing Executive to bring to an end the climate of fear created by the presence of drug dealers in parts of Ballymena. “It’s becoming apparent that drug dealers are becoming more brazen in their activities and as a result local communities are living in fear of the crime and anti-social behaviour that accompanies their activities. The police and other statutory agencies are well aware of the dealers and suppliers as well as the heart-breaking results of their activities. We see daily the effect of their dealing on those addicted to drugs but less obvious is the impact on local communities where violence and the threat of violence goes hand in hand with the dealers activities. As a society we have a responsibility to protect the innocent; that means a robust policing response where intelligence indicates illegal...

“As a council we approach the setting of the rates for 2018/2019 in a crisis, albeit one that is temporarily deferred due to the extensive use of council reserves. The loss of rates income due to the reduction in energy production at Kilroot and Ballylumford is estimated at £1.3 million next year and £2 million every subsequent year. It is also fair to say that there were significant issues with council’s budgetary process even before the Kilroot announcement. Council had a target of raising £1.5 million through efficiency savings in 2018/19, with a loss of £1.3 million we realistically must save £2.5 million to replace the reserves used this year. We cannot assume that there will not be significant losses in future years. During the meeting to set the rates Cllr Gaston identified savings of £1 million and sought to use these to have the rates rise reduced. The cost savings he identified are broadly reasonable and should be taken forward. But they are not enough, the propos...

Nicholl – Councils must provide value for money and avoid rates hikes Ballymena Ulster Unionist Councillor Stephen Nicholl has warned against councils increasing rates bills for local people and businesses, and of the importance of using public funds wisely to provide value for money.        Councillor Nicholl said: “This week’s assessment of the budgetary crisis facing Northern Ireland should leave us in no doubt that an ever increasing financial burden could fall on local citizens. With inflation outstripping pay awards and some touting the return of prescription charges, rent increases and the implementation of welfare reform potentially driving more families into poverty, there is no doubt that local government faces considerable challenges in setting this year's local and business rates. “While council costs will rise, passing on that burden to an already impoverished population is not an easy option. Indeed, councils...

In advance of this year's rates process I thought it would be useful to publish my statement from last year on the process. It will be interesting to see if council has recognized the fundamental responsibility it carries to diligently manage public finances in this years process. Ulster Unionist Party Rates Statement The Ulster Unionist Party met with the Chief Executive and the Director of Finance in advance of the rates setting process on the 15 th November 2016. At that meeting the Chief Executive indicated that it was her intention to bring forward a recommendation of a rate increase of 2.32% to the rates meeting in February. The rationale outlined for the increase related to the need to address the gap in organisational infrastructure in relation to Economic Development staffing and resources. The Ulster Unionist Party accepts that it is vital that our Economic Development and Tourism capacity is brought up to strength to help meet our priority of growing our lo...

So this is the letter from the Executive Office to the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom on the issues affecting Northern Ireland arising from Brexit. There are no surprises, the issues identified after the vote are the same as those identified before the vote, just not by the Leave campaign and certainly not by the DUP. The same issues when raised before the 23rd June were called scaremongering, now the DUP are scared. The border was always going to be an issue, the U.K. Electorate demand a hard border with the EU, the DUP supported this even going so far as placing ads in UK publications. Now that Brexit means Brexit and the front door will be locked at Dover where will the back door be. With this letter and demands for the same immigration rules as the Republic of Ireland it won't be at Newry. The U.K cannot permit EU nationals to freely travel into the UK through Ireland North or South if the demands of the electorate to limit immigration from EU countries i...

Last night's meeting of Mid and East Antrim Borough Council considered whether or not council should be represented at "Irish Fest" in Milwaukee next year. It was determined by the Chief Executive that this item should be taken "in committee" in order to prevent any Councillor publicly debating the issue after the decision was taken as to do so would be deemed to be in contravention of the Councillor Code of Conduct. The Code of Conduct is not a mechanism to restrict the freedom of political thought or speech and so, recognising the potential consequences, I have published below my assessment of Council's representation at "Irish Fest" which was first sent to council officers on the 16th October 2016. Any evaluation of marketing spend based on Council’s investment in attending the Milwaukee Irish Fest should consider a number of issues given the cost of attendance and the requirement to achieve a return on marketing investment of 30-40 times th...

The DUP conference at the weekend established without doubt that its primary objective remains the elimination of Ulster Unionism from the political map of Northern Ireland. Not a comment or harsh word against its partners in Government but plenty of antagonism against the UUP, all the more sweet for parading 3 “defectors”. Of just as much interest was the increasing degree of internal control being exerted over its own members. The DUP equivalent of a “liberal” wing had started to stir under the last months of the Robinson regime but its leading voice Paula Bradley was reduced to stating in an interview when asked about same sex marriage which she is rumoured to be supportive of “I am a member of the DUP I will do what my party asks me to do” and on the signing the petition of concern “we have no other option but to do that”. Those who are drawn to membership of the DUP seek the comfort of an authoritarian party in the hope of achieving an authoritarian state albeit that power is...

With the Review of Public Administration and the transformation of local government in Northern Ireland came a new power, that of Community Planning. The term taking power, rather than framing the process as taking responsibility, could allow some to argue that they are there to hold others to account. Such a view would limit a council's direct involvement in addressing issues at the same time as being flexible enough to both place blame where failures occur and take credit where positive actions happen. Community planning is intended to be transforming, not just in getting agencies and communities around the table but clearly identifying where resources can be applied to greater effect. A reduction in duplication, an increase in early detection of problems and strategic intervention to deliver a better outcome for all. Each agency has its own agenda, its own budget and targets, a thread which runs through peoples lives. If each thread runs parallel to every other thread without ...

On the 2 nd of June Antrim and Newtownabbey Borough Council will meet to determine whether or not to support the ARC 21 decision to refer the former Minister of the Environment’s Notice of Opinion to refuse planning permission for an Energy From Waste plant at Hightown Road in Mallusk to the Planning Appeals Commission. The Minister’s opinion to refuse was based on two factors 1. The proposal is contrary to the DOE’s PPS 11 in that it has not been clearly demonstrated that the proposed method of treatment will not result in harm to human health. 2. The proposal would result in an additional waste treatment facility that is not considered necessary in light of other approved developments in the region and would run contrary to the program of encouraging recycling through “zero waste”. The Planning Appeals Commission does not have the power to overturn the Minister’s opinion, their purpose is to determine whether the Minister’s reasons are robust and justifiable. Conf...