Issue - meetings

            The Community Development Manager advised the Committee that Ballymacarrett Leisure Centre, which was managed by Connswater Community and Leisure Limited, had received a request from Cullens Funfair to locate a funfair on an area of open ground next to the Centre.  She pointed out that, although the land was owned by the Council, it was managed by Connswater Community and Leisure Limited.  She pointed out further that Cullens had operated a funfair for a number of years on an all-weather pitch at Andersonstown Leisure Centre and that the Manager of that facility had indicated that, although the behaviour of a small number of persons attending the funfair in its early years had caused difficulties, generally there had not been any significant problems.

            The Community Development Manager reported that it was proposed that the funfair would be held from 28th till 31st May and Cullens had indicated that the music would cease at 9.30 p.m. and the site would close by 10.00 p.m. each day.  In addition, the Company had provided an undertaking that the site would be returned to its original condition at the conclusion of the funfair. 

            She pointed out that residents neighbouring the site had been informed by letter of the proposal and invited to attend a public meeting.  However, only a small number of people had attended the meeting and she was not convinced that this indicated that there was public support for the funfair.  She informed the Members that the Police Service of Northern Ireland had indicated that, given its previous experience of the promoter, it was not opposed to the event being held.

            During discussion in the matter, a Member informed the Committee that none of the Councillors representing the Victoria Electoral Area had been invited to the public meeting and that, although some 250 houses were located across the road from the area where it was proposed to locate the funfair, none of those residents had received letters concerning the public meeting and he understood that of the 20 houses to receive such letters, only five or six people had attended the meeting.  In addition, he was of the opinion that the area of land was not suitable for the funfair since it was considerably smaller than the all-weather pitch which had been used at the Andersonstown Leisure Centre.

            Following further discussion, the Committee agreed, since Connswater Community and Leisure Limited had failed to demonstrate sufficient community support for the funfair, to refuse the request from the group to permit Cullens Funfair to hold a funfair on an area of land beside Ballymacarrett Leisure Centre.