Derry football team left without facility due to Causeway land deal audit

A Derry football club have been prevented from accessing a Council storage unit as a result of an extraordinary audit into land deals at a neighbouring council.

Creggan-based Trojans FC have been using a storage container at Bishop's Field in the city since the early 1990s, but have now been left in limbo after the unit fell into disrepair.

Cllr Patricia Logue told a meeting of Derry City and Strabane District Council on Thursday that the unit had not been replaced.

“Council had agreed that it should be removed and Trojan were advised it would be replaced within a matter of days,” she said.

“They then were consequently advised about two or three weeks after that that would now not be the case because of the Audit that came out of Causeway Coast and Glens.

“I would like the officers to look at this again; it is much-needed within the community. The club have hundreds of young people who depend on this sport.”

Cllr Patricia Logue

A Council solicitor confirmed the impasse was due to the implications of the Northern Ireland Audit Office (NIAO)'s report into land deals at Causeway Coast and Glens Borough Council.

“This is a position that arises out of the Special Audit that was carried forward in Causeway Coast and Glens Borough Council,” they said.

“The position has been clarified by the Department that councils – in terms of dealing with any interest or disposal in land – can only do so on foot of authority from the Council and at market value.

“If they do not do so at market value, then they must seek the consent of DfC to do so at an undervalue.

“The Audit has made it clear that the elected members cannot make that decision until such time as they have been provided with all of the necessary information by officers.

“That includes an adequate valuation in respect of the matter and the market value. That simply is now the confirmed legal position in relation to the matter as far as the Department is concerned.

“The consequences of that are primarily in relation to the length of time it takes for something like this to be done.

'Unlawful disposals', 'legal advice ignored' and 'perceived conflicts of interest' in Council land deals

The Northern Ireland Audit Office has published its report this morning.

“Even in situations where it might seem likely that the valuation is going to be nominal, or where there is likely to be no issue with the matter being done at a nil consideration, we still have all of these hurdles and hoops to jump through in order to be able to go forward.”

The solicitor said that any proposal to provide the facilities free of charge to Trojans FC could not come forward at this stage because it 'would not be lawful'.

“I can assure you that officers find this every bit as frustrating as elected members do,” they added.

A Council official indicated that a report would be brought back to the relevant committee as soon as possible in relation to the issue.

They also said the Council would 'continue to liaise' with Trojans FC in the meantime.

Cllr Gary Donnelly

Independent councillor Gary Donnelly said it was 'ironic' that people in Creggan would suffer because of what he called 'dodgy land deals' in Causeway Coast and Glens Borough Council.

“The ironic thing about this is that the people who will suffer because of it are the likes of working class football clubs in Creggan,” he said.

“It's absolutely unbelievable. The people involved in these dodgy deals – rather than them coming out in handcuffs, young people in Creggan have to pay the price.”