The local government spending watchdog has taken the “unusual” step of writing to the head of Newry Mourne and Down District Council raising concerns around a proposed new £20m civic centre.
Local government auditor Colette Kane sent her letter about the Newry city centre project to council chief executive Marie Ward in late August, however, the elected representatives who will ultimately decide whether or not it goes ahead have yet to be informed about the correspondence.
The council has said it “continues to update councillors on the project through the appropriate internal governance procedures”.
Last month, Department for Infrastructure (DfI) issued a direction to Newry, Mourne and Down District Council, meaning civil servants will scrutinise the council’s forthcoming decision on its own planning application for the Abbey Way civic centre before deciding whether it merits their intervention.
Independent councillor Jarlath Tinnelly told The Irish News that management of the project to date was “one of the most peculiar processes I have witnessed in my ten years as a councillor”.
He said the local government auditor’s letter, coupled with DfI’s recent intervention, should be “ringing a very loud alarm bell for councillors” about a project that has been dogged by controversy and public opposition.
The proposed civic centre has brought the council into direct conflict with the canon of Newry’s Catholic cathedral, while more than 2,500 objections have been lodged against the council’s planning application.
Ms Kane’s concerns around the proposed civic hub relate to cost increases, including construction costs, and also the occupancy level of the proposed centre, along with its car parking arrangements.
“The local government auditor expressed her concerns around the viability of the current proposals, and the value for money for ratepayers,” the spending watchdog’s office said.
“The local government auditor has emphasised the importance of ensuring that governance arrangements around decision making are made clear.”
In her letter, Ms Kane said “minutes of council and relevant committee meetings should demonstrate that any decisions taken have been made following consideration of all appropriate information, perspectives and options”.
In emails seen by The Irish News the watchdog herself describes the letter, which came after a member of the public raised detailed concerns about the council’s plans, as “unusual”.
Mr Tinnelly said the separate but related moves by the audit office and DfI “may eventually prompt council to reassess this proposal and ultimately look for an alternative site”.
“Millions of pounds of ratepayers money has already been spent without as much as a spade in the ground, without planning approval or a full business case in place – and all without knowing what the final cost will be,” he said.
“I believe there are no circumstances in which we as a local authority could even contemplate proceeding with this capital project that will end up delivering a building with a potential market value of 25% of its construction costs, yet that is where we currently sit if industry analysts are accurate in their opinion.”
