£45,000 allocated for Bonfire Season direct intervention in three areas of Derry

At a Health and Community Committee meeting on Thursday, members approved the funding, from the 2024-2015 budget, for officers’ directed intervention action plans for the Waterside, Ballyarnett and Moor District Electoral Areas.

Addressing elected members at the meeting, Strategic Director, Barry O’Hagan said letters of offer will now be sent to Waterside Neighbourhood Partnership for £15,000 towards directed intervention activity in the area, Galliagh Community Centre for £15,000 towards directed intervention activity within Ballyarnett DEA, the Gasyard for £10,000, and Northwest Cultural Partnership for £5,000 towards directed intervention activity within the Moor DEA.

Sinn Féin councillor Aisling Hutton said the Moor constituents she represents were “very grateful that this money has been invested to alleviate some of the issues that occur around the bonfire season.”

Colr. Hutton added: “It’s also a great relief to some of the community activists that are on the ground days and nights, prior to and afterwards, trying to clear up and keep people safe.”

SDLP councillor Brian Tierney said the funding would “really help the communities over the summer period” and said that funding allocation for Ballyarnett would be put to ‘positive use’ over the summer.

He said he was “delighted” that the council could provide funding for a festival in Galliagh this summer.

“We’ve got support from Council and without that I genuinely worried that we weren’t going to have a festival in the Galliagh area,” Colr. Tierney said.

“Over the last couple of years all of the stories coming out of our area over the summer have all been about negative stuff.

“We have an opportunity now, working with the local groups, statutory partners, residents, and particularly young people, to try and change the narrative.

“That’s what this money is going to be used for and that’s the positive use, and the positive impact that this council can have on our community.

“It can give young people something they believe in it can change their mindset around summer activities,” he added.

Andrew Balfour,

Local Democracy Reporter