Derry & Strabane Council closes working groups on HMOs and Dealing with the Past

At September’s Governance and Strategy Planning Committee meeting members approved the closure of the Temporary Accommodation Taskforce, which was set up in September 2023 to “deal with the issue of the volume of HMOs” in the Council area, and the “issues that residents and neighbourhoods are facing”, an officers’ report said.

At the most recent meeting, members said there was an overlap with the Housing Crisis Taskforce and agreed that the Temporary Accommodation Taskforce will not continue to meet.

However, any remaining issues of the Temporary Accommodation Taskforce will be raised at future Housing Crisis Taskforce meetings, with the next meeting scheduled for September 16.

At the same meeting, members agreed to close the Dealing with the Past Working Group, set up in response to a 2021 motion by former Alderman David Ramsey.

The motion mentioned the recent Court proceedings with regard to the victims of the Claudy bombing in July 1972, in particular.

It also noted “that all the main parties, the Irish government, the European Human Rights Commissioner and the UN Rapporteurs have all stated publicly their opposition to the legacy proposals outlined in the British Governments command paper on July 14.”

It stated: “In view of this, Council recognises that: the impact of the past is not exclusive to any community or group; in dealing with issues relating to the legacy of the past and/ or any matters pertaining to the past it is incumbent on Council to secure adherence to: working towards reconciliation within and transformation of our DCSDC community; inclusivity, equality, parity of esteem; impartiality; and policies, in place to deliver compliance with the above thereby avoiding any hierarchy of victims, or partisan narratives, perceived or otherwise.

“Council will therefore establish a working group to consider and consult on appropriate criteria and measures expressed as a policy to ensure that any matters dealing with the legacy of the past and associated activities or initiatives will be fully compliant with the policy as agreed. And will write to the British Secretary of State outlining our position.”

An accompanying Officers’ report said the most recent group meeting was held on July 18 and attended by just three council members.

Attendees noted difficulties identifying the Working Group’s intended outcomes, as Alderman Ramsey was no longer a council member, and said correspondence had subsequently been sent to the Secretary of State.

“Since the passing of the Motion there had been significant developments including the passing of legislation, namely the Northern Ireland Troubles (Legacy and Reconciliation) Act 2023,” the report said. “There may difficulties in applying a local approach and this matter is currently being discussed at regional/national level.”

Andrew Balfour,

Local Democracy Reporter.