Councillor blasts £230,000 spend on dual language road signs as 'exorbitant'

OVER £230,000 has been spent on erecting dual language road signs in the local area over the past year, it has been revealed.

According to a recent breakdown of costs associated with road signs in the district, a total of £230,808 has been spent on erecting bilingual sings locally between April 2022 and June of this year.

The signs, which includes road names in both English and Irish, have supply and installation costs of approximately £450 per rural plastic sign, and £560 per urban galvanised steel sign.

The high spend on dual language was approved in the same year that the local council decided to scrap both Halloween fireworks and a grand Christmas lights switch-on, due to "financial constraints".

Criticism has also been aired around the procedure of selecting suitable locations, as, at present, only 15 per cent of residents on a given road need to be favour of bilingual signs to see them erected.

Mid-Tyrone DUP councillor, Shirley Hawkes, is a vocal critic of the high level of spending attached to bilingual signs, which she deems "unnecessary" and "unwanted".

Councillor Hawkes said: “In my short time on council I find it ironic in the inconsistency demonstrated by some councillors who, on one hand,want council to spend hundreds of thousands of pounds on unwanted and un-necessary dual language road signs, many of which are imposed on the Unionist community without their consent, while, on the other hand, they complain of the cost of loving crisis and the financial poverty many people are finding themselves in.

"The very fact that in the majority of cases the request for the dual sign is made by a councillor and not by residents living on the road demonstrates that there is no appetite for the signs by the local community.

"I do have to ask the question to Sinn Fein and Alliance in particular, who vigorously pursue this issue where is the respect, equality and fairness for all?"

Councillor Hawkes continued: "While the increased cost of living is taking its toll on many working-class families this unfair and unjust policy is adding to their misery as council will be increasing the rates to cover these exorbitant costs.

"I call on council to show respect to all within the council area, to scrap this policy of gross inequality which allows 15 per cent of respondents in favour to impose these signs on the other 85 per cent and by doing so council will demonstrate their willingness to extend equality to all."

The Tyrone Constitution asked Fermanagh and Omagh District Council if it felt that the expense associated with bilingual signs could be justified amid the cancellation of yearly events, and if it regarded the hundreds of thousands spent on said signs as "value for money".

The council issued the following response: "The 'Street Naming and Numbering Policy (Including Dual Language Signs) was updated and approved by Council in July 2021 with further amendments in December 2021 and April 2022.

"A copy of the policy is available on the Council's website, and Annex C sets out the procedure by which Council will consider applications for the installation of Dual Language Signs."

The spokesperson continued: "Fermanagh and Omagh District Council has a statutory responsibility under Article 11 of the Local Government (Miscellaneous Provisions) (NI) Order 1995 to determine the name(s) by which a street or road in its District is to be known. In accordance with the legislation, a new name(s) must be expressed in English and may, in addition, be expressed in a language other than English.

"The delivery of the Policy supports the Council's commitment to promoting equality in the district. The supply and installation of Dual Language signs is undertaken in line with the Council's Procurement Policy and core objective of Value for Money."

The spokesperson concluded: "The cost to supply and install an individual sign is approximately £450 per rural plastic sign and £560 per urban galvanised steel sign."