BELFAST City Council staff had questioned the legality of storing "stolen" pallets for loyalist bonfire builders – but were told by the PSNI it wasn't an issue.
The local authority caused controversy last year after it emerged it was storing thousands of pallets for two bonfires and planned to return them before the Eleventh Night.
An investigation into how this was arranged without the knowledge of most councillors has shown some concerns were raised by officials.
The probe was launched after The Irish News revealed around 2,500 pallets were being held for east Belfast's Bloomfield Walkway bonfire and about 300 for a pyre at Hope Street near a city centre hotel.
More than 250 of these were for-hire pallets owned by global supply chain company Chep, recognisable for their branding and blue colour.
In an email last May, a BCC official raised with a colleague the legality of the council holding blue Chep pallets.
BCC had been contacted in April by a Chep representative, who said the firm wanted to discuss how it could "reduce the number of Chep pallets stolen and burned during the bonfire season".
Advice was sought from the PSNI over the council official's concerns.
Initial verbal advice from police was that it was not possible to determine whether the stored blue pallets had been stolen.
On May 31, a written PSNI response said it would regard the blue pallets as "illegally dumped material unless the owner can provide clear evidence to [PSNI] that they were the subject of a theft with a statement providing details of the theft".
It appeared BCC thought no action was considered necessary on the basis of this, the bonfire report said.
On June 14, The Irish News revealed BCC was storing pallets for Hope Street bonfire, and began asking questions about the Chep pallets.
It led to the council facing accusations of "handling stolen goods". At the time BCC rejected this, saying there was "no evidence to substantiate claims ... that any of the pallets have been stolen".
However on the same day, Chep emailed BCC saying it had been informed the council was storing its pallets and highlighted its legal title over the assets.
In a further email, a BCC official referred to having more recently spoken to the PSNI and being advised the pallets had to be returned to Chep because it was the legal owner.
Around 150 Chep pallets were among the pallets from the Hope Street bonfire stored at a council site off Ormeau Road, while more than 100 Chep pallets were among those from Walkway stored at Beechvale Farm at Gransha Road.
However, when a Chep official went to recover the pallets at Beechvale Farm, it was discovered nearly all 2,500 had been removed.
BCC later reported them stolen. It has been claimed the UDA removed the pallets.
The council's investigation – headed by former Northern Ireland Ombudsman Tom Frawley – found no minutes or written records exist of key meetings that led to the divisive decision to store pallets.
For Walkway, staff made attempts to arrange a meeting with east Belfast councillors at short notice to seek their views on storing and returning pallets, but only three councillors attended.
For Hope Street, there was no record of any attempts to consult councillors.
The pallets were all due to be returned to the bonfire sites, but after The Irish News revealed the arrangement, councillors voted against returning the remaining pallets that had not been stolen.
Concluding his 132-page report, Mr Frawley said officials "did what they did, motivated by the right reasons rooted in public service values but without political cover and in the absence of a robust governance framework".
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:: Timeline of Belfast City Council's bonfire pallets storage controversy
Late April 2017: Pallets at Bloomfield Walkway increase to around 2,500. DUP councillor George Dorrian suggests to Belfast City Council (BCC) staff there was opportunity to engage with new community group about bonfire site
May 4: Council officials meet new community group reps, who propose Walkway bonfire materials being stored by BCC and returned to site at end of June. No notes or records of what was discussed
May 4: Nigel Grimshaw, BCC's director of city and neighbourhood services, directs that plans be made on removing material, but councillors' views ascertained before any action takes place. No notes or records of discussion
May 8: BCC staff invite east Belfast councillors to meeting on May 10 to discuss "emerging issues around certain bonfires"
May 10: Three councillors – UUP's Jim Rodgers, the DUP's Aileen Graham, and Alliance's David Armitage – attend meeting, and are informed of Walkway proposals. No minutes taken
May 11, morning: Removal of pallets begins, moved to Gransha Road council site, Beechvale Farm. Council official emails all east Belfast councillors about removal of material, but no mention made of storage or return
May 11, afternoon: BCC officer meets with officials from other bodies and Alliance reps – MLA Chris Lyttle, and councillors Michael Long and David Armitage. BCC official briefs them on Walkway pallets storage. Alliance reps say they made clear they did not agree with action, but were told plans would continue regardless. No notes or records of meeting
May 11, after 5pm: BCC official emails east Belfast councillors saying most pallets removed from Walkway and remainder would be removed the following day. No mention made of storage or return. Mr Long responds to email saying, "Great news"
Late May: BCC receives complaints about bonfire material at Hope Street site
June 9, morning: BCC official asks colleague to establish if community at Hope Street would agree to council storing pallets and returning them at later date
June 9, 1pm: BCC officials told that reps agree to storage, but want it done as soon as possible that day. Senior colleague directs staff to continue with plan. BCC official also advises that community reps want "written assurance" that pallets would be returned. No objections raised. No records of discussions
June 9, afternoon: Staff and Housing Executive contractor move around 300 pallets to council yard off Ormeau Road
June 13: BCC responds to Irish News query about storing Hope Street pallets
June 14: BCC chief executive Suzanne Wylie learns of Hope Street pallet storage after reading Irish News
June 21: BCC discovers Walkway pallets are no longer at Beechvale Farm. Theft reported to PSNI
June 22: Irish News reveals BCC had also been storing pallets for Walkway site
June 23: Councillors at BCC strategic policy and resources committee vote against bonfire material being returned to sites
