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At the time of the devastating flooding in Newry last October, Newry, Mourne and Down District Council was criticised for the absence of senior management and leadership on the ground in Newry in advance of and during the flooding while their present was noted in Downpatrick later that week when it too suffered flooding.
In the Council Chamber, on 6 November, in the aftermath of the flooding, Sinn Féin Newry City council Aidan Mathers criticised and questioned management’s absence in Newry while Crotlieve Independent councillor Jarlath Tinnelly said the Newry business community impacted by the flooding had been “abandoned”.
While the water may have gone, that feeling of abandonment hasn’t subsided and there is palpable anger being directed at the Council and local councillors for their failure to step up and offer support.
Over the last number of weeks, Newry.ie has interviewed almost two dozen businesses impacted by the flooding and spoken to countless others. All have reported that following the clean-up they had not seen a Council official - aside from environmental health - offering advice or assistance.
It is the same with councillors. At a recent meeting in the Canal Court Hotel for businesses trying to recover from the flooding, two Downpatrick businessmen attending the event, shocked their Newry counterparts with stories of how their local councillors and MLAs from all political parties, were calling in, telephoning offering whatever help they could - showing empathy.
Contrast that with Newry where none of those at the meeting had seen a councillor or political representative since the flooding. Only one business Newry.ie has engaged with reported a visit from an elected representative.
Virtual political silence
Newry.ie put it to the local councillors and political party leaders that the message coming from the business community was that they continue to feel let down and ‘abandoned’ by councillors and the Council.
Since the “water’s away and the cameras have gone, there is nothing for them” was a remark at the recent meeting at the lack of contact from councillors and political parties since the flooding.
We contrasted that with the experiences of the Downpatrick business community. We also relayed how some business owners couldn’t get the initial £7,500 flooding relief distributed by the Council. How there is no appeal system, businesses were receiving unsigned emails with a general address and not even a ‘Dear’ introduction or a ‘Yours sincerely’, ‘Kind regards’, ending.
The councillors were asked if any of them wanted to comment on why, as with the treatment by Council pre and during the flooding, Newry business owners remain ‘abandoned’.
There has only been silence from the SDLP, UUP, Alliance and DUP while Sinn Féin provided a short statement: “Sinn Féin have consistently worked to assist families and businesses impacted by the devastating flooding in November,” a spokesperson said.
“We have organised a meeting with senior council officials and staff from departments to discuss issues around the flooding and the steps that can be taken to try and prevent such damage in the future.
“It’s important that the council carries out a robust and comprehensive review of their response to the flooding immediately, as voted for by Councillors, to improve future responses and for the record of the public. We will be asking for an update on the status of this review in our meeting with the council on Friday.
“We have already met with senior civil servants at Stormont and pressed them to ensure that adequate financial support is given to those impacted by the flooding.
“We will continue to press to ensure that no one is left behind by this scheme.”
