Paisley office probe on hold…
PETE’S already blogged how many Assembly members are paying office rent to their own parties, but there was also an interesting development in the case of the office that costs taxpayers, by far, the most (around £57,000). It now transpires that a (very) belated planning application has gone forward to retrospectively change the use of the DUP’s Church Street premises in Ballymena from retail to office. The offices were opened last summer, but the application only arrived on July 11 (the same date Ballymena Council received a Building Control “regularisation application”), in the name of James Currie, Mr Paisley’s father-in-law and fellow Ballyallaght cottage owner, of the company Sarcon 250. The application has had the effect of putting an investigation into the planning status of the constituency on hold. It’s a safe bet the application will now be approved by the Planning Service in the DUP-controlled Department of the Environment.
“It’s a safe bet the application will now be approved by the Planning Service in the DUP-controlled Department of the Environment.”
Well, Arlene Foster, former DOE minister, seemed to think that retrospective planning approval would be given to DUP member Mr Sweeney’s ‘blot on the landscape‘.
PS I hear that the PSNI’s CID has begun an investigation into matters relating to the Rathlin ferry contract. This might impact on the DUP-controlled DFP and the SF-controlled DRD.
Just like Billy Armstrong’s planning applications it will also be approved.How could the planning authorities turn down their bosses especially as Billy sits on the environment committee overseeing planning law.
There appears to be one law for the ordinary person then no law for MLA’s.
Will be interesting to hear the reasons the planners give to allow Billy his planning. Their silence on this issue is deafening.