Local Sinn Fein ‘will not support’ borough status
Sinn Féin Group Leader in Newry, Mourne and Down Council Terry Hearty has said his party will not be supporting any attempt to apply for borough status for the district ahead of a council meeting on the issue next week.
“There is absolutely nothing to be gained from applying for borough status,” he said.
“Not one citizen will benefit in any way from such a move. It will serve only to inflate the egos of those who would buy into the ludicrous titles it brings with it and the equally ludicrous gowns and other ceremonial trappings,” he insisted.
“Furthermore, boroughs are generally regarded as being centred around a main town. Our council area is a sprawling, largely rural area, with a number of big towns in different parts of the district.
“Singling one out as the centre of any new borough would only be divisive at a time when we are trying to get formerly separate councils working together as one unit.
Hearty added, “All such an application would bring us would be the expense of changing every sign in the council area so it now read ‘borough’ instead of ‘district’.”
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