17 occupiers were in favour, 32 occupiers not in favour and 62 occupiers did not respond.
A controversial application for an Irish language street sign in East Belfast will not be terminated, despite more residents objecting to it than supporting it in a council survey.
Last year councillors agreed a new policy on dual language street signs. Sinn Féin, Alliance, the SDLP, the Green Party, and the People Before Profit Party all support the new street sign policy, while the three unionist parties, the DUP, UUP and PUP, are against it. The report states that councillors can depart from the policy when there are “clear reasons” to do so. This includes the views of the occupiers of the street, if there are any identified “potential adverse impacts on equality, good relations and rural needs,” and “consideration of the local context of the application.”
The report added: “Another resident from Wynchurch Avenue who is not in favour of the dual language name plate has concerns about the cost of the sign and feels that it is a waste of money. They are happy for a second sign as long as it is not public money and feel that those who really want it should pay for it.
At the council’s People and Communities Committee meeting, Alliance Councillor Micky Murray said: “I think it is important, as it has reached the 15 percent threshold, that it is not refused or rejected, and that we acknowledge the people who have responded to the survey to say they are not in favour. I propose we put it at the bottom of the queue, and look at it at a later date.”
“I know there are small margins, but it has been met. This is where there is maturity in the committee, we are not just going with the policy and saying 'let’s make Wynchurch' dual language. We are saying 'let’s take a bit of time' for non-respondents. There were 59 non-respondents the first time around, now there are 62. This is a mature decision to look at it later.”
A council officer replied: “We don’t have a time scale to the entire list. We know there are a number of applications we are working through, and we will just simply have to put it to the end of that list. I can’t give a specific time scale.”
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