COUNCILLORS in Belfast have pledged to investigate the council's controversial storage of thousands of pallets for loyalist bonfires.
The move comes in the wake of Irish News revelations about the council's involvement and fresh details this week about the scale of its participation in storing pallets ahead of the Twelfth.
Some 2,500 pallets were being stored for a controversial pyre at Chobham Street while the council also removed and stored 300 pallets for a notorious pyre at Hope Street in Sandy Row near a city centre hotel.
The council also faced accusations of handling stolen goods after it emerged many of the pallets are the property of Chep, a global supply chain firm.
However in the latest development it has emerged that the pallets were removed on Wednesday night from the council facility where they were being stored on council land in east Belfast.
Police last night said they were investigating the alleged theft which is being blamed on elements in the UDA.
The proposal to back an investigation into the council's storing of pallets was backed by the council's strategic policy committee at a meeting yesterday morning.
It was brought forward by Alliance's Michael Long and will now go to full council for approval.
Sinn Féin and SDLP councillors also voted with Alliance to ban any further storage of pallets. Unionists have criticised the decision as “disappointing”.
Sinn Féin councillor Jim McVeigh, who sits on the committee, described it as a "disgraceful episode, which will need thoroughly investigated".
“We made it clear that we were very angry that a number of council officers decided to store and return these pallets without our agreement."
Mr McVeigh said the decision taken without the knowledge of councillors.
“A full investigation with an independent element now needs to take place, so the council is not effectively investigating itself.
“We also agreed that no pallets will be returned to bonfire builders, now or in the future.
“We need to know who made the decision and why we were not informed of it.”
The SDLP also said a full inquiry, with an independent input, was essential to draw up "clear guidelines and processes" going forward.
Councillor Tim Attwood said the decision to store pallets had "angered many people across Belfast".
"I believe council has crossed a line in doing this and the images of pallets being stored has done reputational damage to the council. We cannot be held to ransom by some paramilitary or criminal organisations.”
Ulster Unionist councillor Lee Reynolds however, who also sits on the committee, said the storing of pallets was a positive approach to “very difficult situations”.
“I’m disappointed at the vote on storage,” he told the Irish News following the meeting.
“We need as many options as possible to this but now we’re shooting down solutions.
“These sites have been a source of public concern, and an agreement was reached that dealt with the vast majority of the issues. Part of that agreement was to store some pallets. Was that sensible? Yes it was.”
Confirming an investigation was to be held, a council spokeswoman said a “full review, led by the Chief Executive with independent input, would be carried out into the issue of collection and storage of bonfire material, and the future approach to bonfires across the city”.
