DPP meeting 'banned'

A County Londonderry community association has banned a district policing partnership from using its hall for a meeting next month.

The management committee of Dungiven Community Association has told Limavady DPP that the meeting, in two weeks' time, would pose a safety risk to staff and the public.

Sinn Fein have supported the move but unionists claim the decision is sectarian.

SDLP councillor Dessie Lowry, who is the policing partnership's vice-chairman, said he was disappointed at what had happened but said the meeting would have come at a sensitive time.

He urged the community association to think again.

"There is legislation in place to try and stop the discrimination of bodies given access to buildings," he said.

Dungiven being the place that it is, it is 99% Catholic probably, and I don't think the town is appropriate for the meeting Martin McGuigan Sinn Fein councillor

"We would urge the community association, when it comes to reviewing the decision, to review it in context of the wider public interest."

Cathal Hassan, one of the directors of Dungiven community hall, said it was open for use by all but added that he was worried about the safety implications of holding the meeting there.

"Our major concern was for the safety of our staff," he said.

"If any such DPP meeting was held locally there's a chance that there would be a picket and whatever may develop out of that."

Sinn Fein Limavady councillor Martin McGuigan said the meeting was not welcome in Dungiven.

"The calls coming into our local office are from people who are not happy about it. Dungiven being the place that it is, it is 99% Catholic probably, and I don't think the town is appropriate for the meeting.

"Having said that, I think there should be another venue somewhere more neutral than Dungiven."

We should remember that the DPPs are made up of members of the public and we should remember that they are there to help the people of Dungiven Edwin Stevenson Ulster Unionist councillor

The only unionist member of the management committee at the hall was not present when the decision was taken.

United Unionist Boyd Douglas said he was aware that few unionists used the hall but said it was a public facility provided by the council that should be made available to the public.

Democratic Unionist councillor Leslie Cubitt said it was a sectarian decision.

"I was very very upset about it because we as a council give money to Dungiven community hall and all their literature coming in says they are cross community," he said.

"I will be asking the auditor when he comes here next month to have a look at this."

Ulster Unionist councillor Edwin Stevenson said it was a politically motivated decision which was denying the people of Dungiven a valuable service.

"If it was only electioneering I wouldn't worry about it but I would say it is more more likely getting back to the old days of Sinn Fein being involved in an anti-police campaign.

"We should remember that the DPPs are made up of members of the public and we should remember that they are there to help the people of Dungiven."

Resignations

Three members have already resigned from policing partnerships across the province following a campaign of intimidation by dissident republicans.

District policing partnerships were set up across Northern Ireland under reforms initiated by a commission headed by former Hong Kong Governor Chris Patten and implemented by the government.

District policing partnerships are made up of councillors and members of the local community, who work alongside the Police Service of Northern Ireland's 29 District Command Units in trying to meet local community policing needs.

The Northern Ireland Policing Board handles some of the most sensitive issues facing policing and holds the chief constable and his senior officers to account.

Former assembly members and independent nominees serve on the board whose headquarters are in Belfast.

Sinn Fein has boycotted the new structures, insisting the government's policing reforms need to go further if they are ever going to participate.