A NUMBER of Fermanagh and Omagh District councillors have voiced concerns over the decision not to release an audit report into how an erroneous consultation document came to be published even in redacted form.

The issue was part of a Local Development Plan (LDP) in which a specific text around fracking agreed by councillors was not carried forward into the consultation document.

Instead, wording suggested by the Department of Economy’s Minerals Branch was used, which councillors had rejected.

Upon examination, two further errors were discovered in the document, and a high-level internal investigation was launched

The findings of that, however, are confidential and all council discussions around these are exclusively being held in closed session.

However, at the most recent meeting, it became clear this is not sitting well with some members, and it has emerged that one, who branded the report a “whitewash”, proposed broadening the investigation’s Terms of Reference.

This proposal was defeated, but the voting pattern isn’t known as this was also confidential.

Independent Councillor Donal O’Cofaigh told members: “There are clear concerns around the issues that are dealt with under confidential matters, and often you’d wonder why.

“Also, the issues have been increasingly bounced with documentation we don’t see until a matter of hours before meetings. It is an issue of basic ability to hold matters for public scrutiny.”

Turning to the LDP, he continued: “This was inverted over the issue around fracking and the decision of the Council is, of course, of huge concern to residents in the Fermanagh and Omagh area and, indeed, the investigation into that [erroenous document], which we had sight of in closed session.

“The Council’s authority is very much in question, as is our ability to hold matters to scrutiny. I’ve been asked whether councillors are idiots for allowing things to happen. Our own authority as councillors is being brought into question.”

Pointing out the understanding that the audit report may never be published, Councillor O’Cofaigh said: “My proposal to expand the audit was defeated.”

He called for the audit, all discussions around it and how members voted to be made public.

Ulster Unionist Councillor Victor Warrington stated: “Officers look at issues on merit and decide whether they did or do not go into confidential business.

“As to our constituents asking are we idiots, yes, you’ll always get criticism, but no constituent has ever classed me as an idiot, so unfortunately he [Councillor O’Cofaigh] is on his own on that.”

Referring to the “LDP fiasco”, Independent Councillor Emmet McAleer said confidence in council had been shaken and the least which should be done was the publication of the report, even in a redacted format.

Councillor Errol Thompson, Democratic Unionist, said: “There are reasons for confidentiality and we have to put our trust in our Chief Executive, directors and senior officer team to handle these situations on our behalf. Our party have no problem with that.”

‘Openness and transparency’

However, Sinn Fein Group Leader Councillor Barry McElduff took a contrary stance, stressing: “Our party are absolutely for openness and transparency. We would like to see confidential matters used sparingly and only when absolutely necessary. We’d want to examine each item on a case by case [basis].”

The Chair, Diana Armstrong, said there are certainly functions which for various reasons have to remain confidential, such as looking at estimates.

Chief Executive Alison McCullagh told members there are very specific grounds in which matters become confidential, which are set down in legislation.

Returning to the audit report, Councillor O’Cofaigh said: “There is a huge gap in confidence within the community and the issue of fracking is very important. We need to release this investigation. I consider it a whitewash, but it still needs to go to the public.”

For more on the erroeneous consultation document, see story on Page 11.