Latest news with #JillTruesdale
Belfast Telegraph
05-08-2025
- Politics
- Belfast Telegraph
Public services watchdog drops probe into conduct allegations against Alliance councillor
Two Newry, Mourne and Down District Council elected members had made claim and counter-claim against one another over conduct allegations. The Local Democracy Reporting Service contacted the Local Government Commissioner for Standards for an update to its conduct assessment of Mournes rep Jill Truesdale. A spokesperson said: 'The case against the councillor in Newry, Mourne and Down District Council was closed at assessment with a decision of no further action.' Alliance councillor Ms Truesdale initially made an official complaint against NMDDC's now former chairperson Pete Byrne of the SDLP. The alleged conduct was said to have occurred during an emergency Mourne Gateway programme board meeting on Friday May 2. However, the Commissioner's Office dropped the matter following assessment. The Slieve Gullion SDLP rep then launched a complaint against the Alliance councillor, which has now also been 'closed'. Watch: Plane lands in Belfast during Storm Floris The LDRS contacted Cllr Truesdale, but she did not want to comment. Cllr Byrne was also contacted without response. However, speaking previously on the matter he said: 'I've no further comment to make on whether a complaint has been made or not, but I am disappointed to be contacted by the media on something that is confidential.'
Belfast Telegraph
29-07-2025
- Politics
- Belfast Telegraph
Second cable car plan for Mournes rejected by Stormont minister
In May, Newry, Mourne and Down District Council revealed plans to relocate its Mourne Mountain Gateway project to the village of Rostrevor after the National Trust withdrew its support for the original Newcastle site. It is understood that the council was keen to retain funding from the £30m Belfast Region City Deal (BRCD) by ensuring the project goes ahead, albeit elsewhere. However, that appears less likely to happen now after the Department for Agriculture, the Environment and Rural Affairs said it had ''serious concerns about the potential impact the project would have on environmentally sensitive areas'. The department added that it 'is not in a position to support the council's proposal' for Rostrevor. The statement said Minister Andrew Muir 'has serious concerns about the potential impact the project would have on environmentally sensitive areas, existing woodlands, ancient trees, wildlife habitats, biodiversity and the aesthetic and social value of the local landscape. 'Given these concerns, the department is not in a position to support the council's proposal for the project to be constructed at Rostrevor Forest and Forest Service has accordingly conveyed this position to the council.' Alliance Mournes Councillor Jill Truesdale welcomed the Minister's intervention. She said: 'I'm pleased to hear that the proposal to install a gondola in Kilbroney Forest Park in Rostrevor has been rejected by DAERA. 'Rostrevor Forest is renowned for its scenic landscapes and exceptional natural environment. Installing a gondola in this location would not only pose a threat to the wildlife and the surrounding environment, but it would also detract from the natural beauty that many people cherish. 'Alliance, alongside many local residents, has been strongly opposed to this project and has consistently raised concerns due to significant economic and environmental issues associated with the plan. 'There has been insufficient consideration of the potential impact the project could have on environmentally sensitive areas. I am pleased that Minister Muir has decided to halt the installation of the gondola in Rostrevor, citing serious concerns about its consequences for the local landscape if the project were to proceed.'
Belfast Telegraph
19-06-2025
- Business
- Belfast Telegraph
£30m towards Mournes gondola could be lost as plans ‘start from scratch'
And it now appears that a council plan to move the so-called gondolas from Newcastle to Rostrevor may have to 'start from scratch' despite claims councillors were told the project would only need to be 'modified'. Tourism NI is a key stakeholder in the £44m Gateway Project, with Newry, Mourne and Down District Council (NMDDC) scrambling to hold onto £30m in Belfast Region City Deal (BRCD) money after the plan to site the gondola in Newcastle was scrapped. The council revealed in May it is working to relocate the Mourne Mountain Gateway project on the other side of the Mournes in the village of Rostrevor. The move came after landowners the National Trust withdrew co-operation from the Newcastle project. The council is understood to be keen to retain the BRCD money by ensuring the project goes ahead, albeit in another location. But concerns have now been raised that the planned relocation may not be straightforward. A spokesperson for Tourism NI said: 'Tourism NI is not in receipt of an alternative proposal to the Mourne Mountain Gateway Project (MMGP) at this time. 'Newry Mourne and Down District Council is aware that any alternative proposal to the Mourne Mountain Gateway project will be considered a new project and will require a new outline business case (OBC) to be submitted as part of the City and Growth Deals process.' Tourism NI's role is that of Investment Decision Maker (IDM) on behalf of the Department for the Economy (DfE) for tourism proposals within the City and Growth Deals Programme. The council is relying on keeping £30m from the Belfast Region City Deal (BRCD) which was awarded to the Mourne Gateway project. However, landowners the National Trust pulled out of the project in May over environmental concerns — leaving the local authority organising emergency meetings to present a new proposal to BRCD to retain the cash. NMDDC was asked whether it had outlined a new business case to its stakeholders for the Rostrevor plan at Kilbroney park. A spokesperson said: 'Newry, Mourne and Down District Council issued a statement on 28 May to the media in relation to this matter, we continue to work through the details with our partners and are not in position to provide any further comment at this time.' However, it has now been alleged that the local authority had advised NMDDC councillors that the Kilbroney proposal could be partly transferred from the Mourne Gateway project. Mournes Alliance councillor Jill Truesdale said: 'At every point in the progression of this project Alliance has been calling for more openness and transparency. 'That we're seeing such issues persist even at this point is not reassuring.'
Sunday World
11-05-2025
- Sunday World
Cops condemn potentially ‘catastrophic' near-miss between drone and rescue helicopter
The incident unfolded during an operation in the Mournes at the weekend Scene of the Mourne rescue mission on 10.05.2025. Credit: Police Newry, Mourne & Down The PSNI have condemned the pilot of a drone that almost had a 'catastrophic' impact on a rescue mission. The incident unfolded during an operation in the Mournes at the weekend. Police said it was 'absolute madness' and the person responsible for the drone may now face prosecution. On Saturday evening, the South Down neighbourhood policing team were assisting Newcastle Coastguard to secure the landing site for a Maritime and Coastguard Agency Rescue Helicopter from Prestwick. The agencies were working with the Mourne Mountain Rescue Team (MMRT) to extract a casualty from the area of Lower Cove – which contains some of the steepest cliffs in the Mournes. A PSNI spokesperson said: 'With the casualty safely in the back of a Northern Ireland Ambulance Service ambulance, the helicopter crew began to prepare for take off to return to Prestwick [in Scotland]. 'As the helicopter made their preparations to take off – bearing in mind the engines never stopped whilst the casualty was removed from it, and it's a big noisy, well lit machine – one of the police officers in attendance noted a drone operating in very close proximity to the helicopter. "They immediately informed a member of Coastguard and members of the MMRT who in turn informed the crew on board. "At the same time officers made their way to the area of the park the drone was spotted in to try and identify its whereabouts and the person that was operating it. "Despite this quick action the drone appeared to have left the area, but people in the park approached the police attempting to point out where the drone had been. 'In short, this is absolute madness. Had that drone impacted with the helicopter at any time, the result would have been catastrophic. 'Drones are not toys. 'This behaviour was in clear breach of the Air Navigation Order and may result in a criminal prosecution.' Drones are small aircrafts that can be remotely controlled. They are used for a wide variety of purposes – most commonly for recreational purposes, they are used for aerial photography and videography Jill Truesdale, an Alliance Party councillor for the Mournes area, described the actions of the drone operator as 'beyond stupid'. "Hopefully they will be caught and reminded of the laws around these things,' she added. "This type of multi-agency incident is not an 'Instagrammable' moment." Ms Truesdale also indicated a need to 'look into legislation' regarding the ownership and operation of drones here, 'given our unique geographical makeup between sea and mountains'. Scene of the Mourne rescue mission on 10.05.2025. Credit: Police Newry, Mourne & Down News in 90 seconds - 11th May 2025
Belfast Telegraph
11-05-2025
- Belfast Telegraph
‘Absolute madness': PSNI condemns potentially ‘catastrophic' near-miss between drone and rescue helicopter
The incident unfolded during an operation in the Mournes at the weekend. Police said it was 'absolute madness' and the person responsible for the drone may now face prosecution. On Saturday evening, the South Down neighbourhood policing team were assisting Newcastle Coastguard to secure the landing site for a Maritime and Coastguard Agency Rescue Helicopter from Prestwick. The agencies were working with the Mourne Mountain Rescue Team (MMRT) to extract a casualty from the area of Lower Cove – which contains some of the steepest cliffs in the Mournes. A PSNI spokesperson said: 'With the casualty safely in the back of a Northern Ireland Ambulance Service ambulance, the helicopter crew began to prepare for take off to return to Prestwick [in Scotland]. 'As the helicopter made their preparations to take off – bearing in mind the engines never stopped whilst the casualty was removed from it, and it's a big noisy, well lit machine – one of the police officers in attendance noted a drone operating in very close proximity to the helicopter. "They immediately informed a member of Coastguard and members of the MMRT who in turn informed the crew on board. "At the same time officers made their way to the area of the park the drone was spotted in to try and identify its whereabouts and the person that was operating it. "Despite this quick action the drone appeared to have left the area, but people in the park approached the police attempting to point out where the drone had been. 'In short, this is absolute madness. Had that drone impacted with the helicopter at any time, the result would have been catastrophic. 'Drones are not toys. 'This behaviour was in clear breach of the Air Navigation Order and may result in a criminal prosecution.' Drones are small aircrafts that can be remotely controlled. They are used for a wide variety of purposes – most commonly for recreational purposes, they are used for aerial photography and videography Jill Truesdale, an Alliance Party councillor for the Mournes area, described the actions of the drone operator as 'beyond stupid'. "Hopefully they will be caught and reminded of the laws around these things,' she added. "This type of multi-agency incident is not an 'Instagrammable' moment." Ms Truesdale also indicated a need to 'look into legislation' regarding the ownership and operation of drones here, 'given our unique geographical makeup between sea and mountains'.
