Belfast councillors debated sharing a football pitch in North Belfast between Newington FC and Ballysillan Swifts sparking controversy and accusations.
The council voted on Monday for Newington FC to use the pitch, where Ballysillan Swifts already play. Forty-two members voted yes, and seventeen voted no. Sinn Féin, Alliance, SDLP, Green Party, and People Before Profit voted in favor. DUP, UUP, and TUV voted against it.
The pitch upgrade caused controversy because Ballysillan Swifts believed they’d be the primary users. The project uses money for regeneration. A Sinn Féin member prioritized the Swifts but said it doesn’t exclude other users.
A DUP member disagreed, arguing the upgrade should primarily benefit the Ballysillan area, while Newington is outside that area. The council will upgrade the Ballysillan fields as part of a £9 million project, installing a new pitch. They will also consider broader community use of the site.
Ballysillan Swifts expressed shock at the changed plan, believing they would be the priority users after attending meetings about this since 2017. The council’s Chief Executive spoke of a ‘call-in’ concerning a support letter for Newington FC approved by a committee in a private meeting. The committee had voted 15-5 to support Newington, prompting the DUP to call it in before the full council meeting.
A Sinn Féin councillor accused some of blocking funding for a team based on its background and questioned the “merit” of the call-in, which triggers a legal review. The Chief Executive stated he had no evidence of the alleged bias. The councillor then requested a recess.
Another councillor spoke about delays, mentioning Newington’s funding application deadline and questioning the motives behind the call-in. A DUP councillor raised concerns about potential financial and legal issues. An Alliance councillor described the situation as “underhand.”
After a delay, the Chief Executive clarified that the application must originate from the council, eliminating the need for a call-in. Subsequently, a councillor proposed the council apply to the Football Fund, allowing Newington to use the upgraded fields.
A DUP member pointed out that the council might contribute 40% of the funding, requiring further committee review. Another DUP councillor argued that this fundamentally changes the project, requiring official evaluation of the alteration. A TUV councillor stated it hurts the council’s image.
The councillor then said the city could own a high standard stadium. He said nobody wants to remove Ballysillan Swifts. He wanted a pitch-sharing solution and for the other team to play in North Belfast. He identified the issue as bias, stemming from the other team’s origin, and added that staff had faced intimidation, calling for the issue to be aired to create a positive outcome.
