Doyle to challenge PSNI and Justice Department over leniency to those convicted of drug-related crimes
Special meeting of Derry City and Strabane District Council
Derry Aontu councillor Emmet Doyle.
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The PSNI and the Department of Justice will today be challenged over leniency handed shown to those convicted of drug-related crimes in Derry.
Both bodies are due to attend a special meeting of Derry City and Strabane Council today, secured by Aontú Councillor Emmet Doyle
Speaking ahead of the meeting, Cllr Doyle said communities were demanding more be done on drugs.
He added: “Drugs are a scourge on our communities. I’ve come across too many of my constituents who have been at the sharp end of drug related crime whether that be theft, assault or burglaries, and that doesn’t include drug crime itself.
Derry wheelchair user is calling for public toilets to be installed at popular park in Derry
Users of Ballyarnett having to go to Northside centre to use facilities
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A Derry wheelchair user has claimed the lack of toilet facilities at a popular local park is a breach of human rights.
Criticising the lack of facilities at Ballyarnett Country Park, Davy Cregan said as a disabled and wheel- chair-bound person enough is enough .
“There are no toilets facilities and as result people have to take themselves and their children to Northside shopping centre for toilets. This is a human rights abuse,” claimed Mr Cregan.
Councillors in Derry becoming a laughing stock because of the length of meetings, claims DUP Alderman
Row kicks off over new proposals aimed at reducing how long council meetings last
Council meetings in Derry are regularly lasting eight hours or more.
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Independent councillors and representatives from smaller parties have raised concerns about new proposals in relation to the running of Derry City and Strabane District Council meetings.
A raft of new measures have been put forward in a bid to reduce the length of council meetings.
At present, the monthly meetings of the council regularly last for more than eight hours.
Residents growing fears about use of bail accommodation in Derry
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People living close to accommodation in Derry where alleged offenders are being housed say they want assurances they are safe in their homes.
Problems have surfaced in different parts of the city over the past year, during which time local residents have voiced their concerns to local politicians and all organisations involved.
The Northern Ireland Housing Executive (NIHE) acknowledges that demand for emergency housing has increased significantly during the pandemic, resulting in the use of ‘non-standard accommodation’.
Defendants regularly appear at Derry Magistrates Court with addresses at the local emergency accommodation.
Councillors want to see audit carried out into Covid-19 support programmes
Access to Food and Financial Inclusion programmes launched to help those facing hardship
Derry City and Strabane District Council s headquarters at Strand Road.
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Councillors today discussed calls for an audit into two programmes supported by Derry City and Strabane District to help people impacted by the pandemic.
The Access to Food Programme and the Financial Inclusion Programme were both launched in recent months in response to the hardship being faced by many local people.
For the Access to Food Programme, the local council received £220,000 from the Department of Communities to help alleviate food poverty.