COUNCIL GRANTS ADVICE..

COUNCILLORS have been given legal advice on declaring links to community groups following transparency concerns over a £2million Covid emergency grants programme.

Belfast City Council issued the guidance after Sinn Fein members faced questions over apparent failures to declare interests.

Several of the party’s representatives have links to the main organisations in the scheme, but only some declared their connections when councillors approved funding earlier this year.

It emerged as Sinn Fein pushes for more public money to be diverted to the groups – bypassing an open tender process.

The party has arranged a special council meeting today to discuss their proposals.

There is no suggestion any of the councillors are benefiting personally from the alleged failures to declare interests.

The Green Party raised conflict of interest concerns and called for a review to ensure the process is “fair, transparent and accountable”. Deputy leader Malachai O’hara said: “Public money spent on alleviating people’s hardship needs to be allocated transparently and fairly.”

But Sinn Fein insisted its councillors have complied with the code of conduct and accused rivals of engaging in “deflection”.

At the height of the pandemic, the council set up a process in which Covid support funding has been shared between a small number of community and voluntary groups.

The nine main “strategic community partners” include the Upper Andersonstown Community Forum – which represents five Neighbourhood Renewal Partnerships in West Belfast.

When the dividing up of more than £700,000 was agreed in February, several Sinn Fein councillors did not declare their involvement in these Neighbourhood Renewal groups.

A further tranche of funding was discussed by councillors behind closed doors earlier this month. It is understood Sinn Fein sought to increase funding proposed for the “strategic community partners” from £250,000 to £650,000 by removing £400,000 from a small grants programme open to all applicants.

After its proposal was defeated, Sinn Fein said it was to “fund food and heating vouchers”.

A council spokeswoman said: “Declarations of interest are matters that are the personal responsibility of councillors.”

Belfast City Hall