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27/02/2014
'One Last Month' For Exploris Funding
Ards Borough Council has given the NI Executive one more month to confirm a funding package to keep Exploris Aquarium open.
The announcement follows a meeting on Wednesday (26 February), where the Council agreed to extend the stay on closure for a further month. It also said it was disappointed and concerned that no financial package had been forthcoming from the Executive, even though the local authority submitted a business case which aimed to make the aquarium a sustainable operation.
The Council proposed to reduce the deficit to what it believed to be an acceptable level, which was from £500,000 each year to just £200,000.
However, the reduced running costs are only possible with a commitment from the government to include revenue for the Seal Sanctuary from the Department of the Environment, as well as a substantial one-off capital grant of approximately £900,000.
Councillors have said they will look at the issue again at their next meeting at the end of March, while Exploris remains open and continues to welcome visitors.
(JP/MH)
The announcement follows a meeting on Wednesday (26 February), where the Council agreed to extend the stay on closure for a further month. It also said it was disappointed and concerned that no financial package had been forthcoming from the Executive, even though the local authority submitted a business case which aimed to make the aquarium a sustainable operation.
The Council proposed to reduce the deficit to what it believed to be an acceptable level, which was from £500,000 each year to just £200,000.
However, the reduced running costs are only possible with a commitment from the government to include revenue for the Seal Sanctuary from the Department of the Environment, as well as a substantial one-off capital grant of approximately £900,000.
Councillors have said they will look at the issue again at their next meeting at the end of March, while Exploris remains open and continues to welcome visitors.
(JP/MH)
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