Other News In Brief

Call For NI Water To Halt The Sale Of Cairn Wood Forest

Ards and North Down Council has joined with the Alliance Party to campaign against the sale of Cairn Wood Forest in Northern Ireland.

Councillors are urging Regional Development Minister Michelle McIlveen to instruct NI Water to halt the sale of Cairn Wood.

The Council meeting comes after Alliance Councillor Muir launched a petition which has gathered over 2,000 signatures, which is to be presented to the Minister at the Assembly next Tuesday.

Councillor Muir said: "NI Water is determined to sell off Cairn Wood to the highest bidder, a move which DRD Minister Michelle McIIveen is completely compliant with.

"Left up to them, this fantastic asset used by dog walkers, mountain bikers, ramblers and many other will be lost forever and all for what seems to be no more than a plan for NI Water to make some easy money with a uncertain future ahead for Cairn Wood and real worries about what site could be used for.

"You only have to look at the numbers who have signed my petition - only launched at the start of December 2015, but with already over to 2,000 signatures - including it seems the DUP's own Jim Shannon MP.

"Local people have made it clear, Cairn Wood is a resource to be treasured and they aren't prepared to stand back and allow NI Water and the DRD Minister take it away from them."

Woman Convicted Of Benefit Fraud

A woman has been convicted for claiming benefits she was not entitled to at L'Derry Magistrates' Court.

Claire Lunny claimed Income Support and Housing Benefit totalling £7,902 while failing to declare she was living with her partner. She was given 120 hours community service.

She is also required to repay any outstanding money wrongfully obtained to the Social Security Agency.

Nesbitt Hits Out At OFMdM Over Social Development Fund

Ulster Unionist Leader, Mike Nesbitt MLA, has expressed his incredulity after it was revealed OFMdFM has only managed to spend £4 million of the £80m available as part of the Social Investment Fund.

Mr Nesbitt said: "This is a damning indictment on the OFMdFM's administration of the Social Investment Fund and the news that they can't give money away will be greeted with incredulity by hard pressed communities and voluntary groups across Northern Ireland.

"The story of the Social Investment Fund has been a study in how not to do government. It has been a litany of inefficiency, indecision and incompetency and highlights in the starkest possible terms the dysfunctional nature of this administration.

"Let us remember that in the midst of a recession and in times of austerity, OFMdFM have only managed to spend five per cent of an £80 million pot of funding available to relieve poverty and deprivation."

(CD/JP)