This is a letter sent to Derry City's Mayor Cllr Colm Eastwood we're waiting on a reply.
27th July 2010
Dear Mayor Eastwood,
Today marks the 1st anniversary of the Holywell Consultancy, a process that led to a campaign by residents in Galliagh to have meaningful consultation into development on their doorsteps. Residents felt that this occasion must be marked, and are staging a dignified protest today outside Council offices.
You are of course fully aware of the situation in Galliagh as you are not only one of the elected representatives for the area, but are a member of the Galliagh Development Trust.
You were also a member of a working group facilitated by the Outer North Neighbourhood Partnership. A working group that not only disregarded the Council resolution of Sept 1st 2009 but also excluded residents from determining the terms of reference for any consultation process. The decision to exclude residents this working group was, as residents were informed by ONNP Strategy Manager Darren Kirby and ONNP Chairperson Cathal McCauley a unanimous one by all members of the working group.
We feel that Derry City council have performed poorly with regard to their development at Heather Road in Galliagh.
Today also sees the submission of 20 complaints of maladministration against Derry City Council to the NI Ombudsman. This is only the first batch, more are to follow.
We have tried to engage Derry City Council on numerous occassions but to no avail. We are prepared to fully explore every legal avenue of recourse open to us.
It is a sad reflection on Derry City Council how it has treated a section of its citizens, and this is made even worse considering Derry has won the accolade of city of culture.
Derry City Council has it within its gift to end this fiasco now.
The ball is in Derry City Council's hands, the question is will Derry City Council drop the ball, or rise to the challenge?
We have as a matter of courtesy included with this letter a copy of a recent letter to Valerie Watts, Derry City Council Town Clerk & Chief Executive.
Regards
Galliagh Concerned Residents Group.
