Anger at £7k a year spent on free papers for councillors while community groups and events refused funding

Derry City and Strabane Council has been blasted for spending £7,000 a year on free papers for councillors while funding had been turned down for numerous community groups and events in the district.

Independent Councillor Gary Donnelly hit out at the situation at this afternoon’s monthly meeting of the Council at which it emerged that this year’s Earhart Festival had only been granted £1,000 in funding.

SDLP Councillor Brian Tierney said the funding process needed to be looked at again as the event had been going for 17 years and the money wouldn’t even cover the cost of renting Council equipment.

Speaking at the meeting, a Council officer said he understood the disappointment of groups who had been unsuccessful in applying for funding but it was a “competitive process.”

Photo shows participants in the Earhart Festival parade.