Write a commentAn at times hot and heavy monthly meeting of Newry, Mourne and Down District Council tonight saw a motion proposing a 15 Acre Park at the council maintained Albert Basin site in Newry be referred to the SP&R committee of the council by Chairperson Cllr Roisin Mulgrew, despite an attempt by a councillor to have standing orders suspended and the motion debated in the chamber.
Under standing orders, the chairperson has the right to refer a motion to a relevant committee and councillors are not allowed to challenge.
The motion put forward by Councillors Patrick Brown, Gary Stokes, David Taylor and Jarlath Tinnelly called for the council delivery of a park in parallel with other capital works projects in Newry within the next Council term.
When the agenda item came up Alliance Councillor Patrick Brown was asked to read the motion and quickly requested an amendment to the motion.
Meanwhile SDLP Cllr Pete Byrne put forward a proposal to have standing orders suspended for the motion in question. It was some time before this was agreed and an open vote was taken on that proposal.
Suspension of standing orders could have meant all councillors would have been free to debate the motion in the chamber and take a vote.
22 SDLP, Alliance, UUP. and Independent councillors voted for the proposal but with 13 DUP and Sinn Fein Councillors voting against, the required 80% necessary for the proposal to pass was lost.
