Northern Ireland

Antrim council's legal fees in 'English-only' signs row reach £4,000

A COUNCIL'S legal fees following a court challenge against its 'English-only' street signs policy cost ratepayers more than £4,000.

Antrim and Newtownabbey council last year rescinded its ban on bi-lingual signs after a resident took legal action arguing it amounted to discrimination.

The abandoned policy had been introduced after some residents earlier last year requested dual Irish and English-language signs in their area.

In response to a Freedom of Information request by The Irish News, the council has since confirmed its legal fees for the judicial review reached a total of £4,002.

The cost included "solicitors and barrister fees", the council said.

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Sinn Féin's Michael Goodman, the party's group leader on the council, hit out at the cost.

"It's £4,000 of ratepayers' money that should not have had to be spent," he said.

"The council were well aware of the problem that the decision in February 2018 had caused and were advised that the policy did not meet their obligations.

"And so it was unfortunate that they persisted in trying to defend the indefensible – and used ratepayers' money to do it."

Sinn Féin councillor Michael Goodman
Sinn Féin councillor Michael Goodman Sinn Féin councillor Michael Goodman

Mr Goodman said he did not believe the figure was the full cost, as the council was also to pay the complainant's costs in bringing the legal challenge.

At the time, the council said it agreed to set the policy aside to draft a more detailed policy for councillors to consider.

"It is the council's view that its policy was not a ban in any way on the Irish language. The council allocates resources to many initiatives to promote minority languages," it said.

The row has separately led to two Sinn Féin councillors being referred to the Local Government Commissioner for Standards after the policy climbdown was revealed in advance on Twitter.

Anne Marie Logue tweeted that the council was being "legally forced to revoke their discriminatory 'English-only policy'", adding: "Disgrace that the DUP/UUP have been allowed to get this far."

The message, which followed a private council meeting, was also shared by her party colleague Mr Goodman.

According to the councillors' code of conduct, reps "must not disclose confidential information" without the relevant consent or "unless required to do so by law".

Ms Logue previously dismissed the watchdog complaint as a "distraction" from the legal costs the council faced.