The casting vote of the Chair of Fermanagh and Omagh District Council’s Policy and Resources Committee has blocked a proposal to seek further answers after members were unhappy with responses around a PSNI decision to provide escorting explosives for the mining industry free of charge.

Following concerns by residents in the Greencastle area, members sought the additional potential costs to the public for police escorting of explosives to the proposed goldmine site.

The enquiry was sent to the Minister for Justice, the Policing Board, and the Chief Constable.

The Minister responded citing the independence of PSNI, while a senior police officer referred to a  review currently under way around escort services.

The PSNI described costings as “variable and difficult to establish”, but suggested an approximate figure of £285 per initial escort, based on two officers and lasting around five hours.

This was sharply at odds with an original PSNI invoice of £437,610 for providing services to an exploration company over a 10-month period, although a decision was recently taken not to pursue this bill.

If the most recent figure suggested was applied at the time that particular bill was issued, it would have been £23,386 for 1,534 escorts.

A late reply was received from Policing Board confirming that having an oversight role of the PSNI and reviews the policy of charging for policing services, it holds: “No information in relation to costs for escorting explosives.”

The reply advised this could be obtained from Chief Constable, who “has commissioned a strategic review of services to the explosives and mining industry … The outcome will influence support provided to the industry, going forward.”

Reacting to the Policing Board reply, Councillor Emmet McAleer, Independent, said the response “seems to again add confusion”.

He continued: “They talk of their oversight role on policy change and charging of policing services, but  don’t hold any information on costs.”

He proposed writing back to the Policing Board, asking: “How can they review policy if they don’t have access to the potential costs?

“What is their input, to date, on the policy announced by a PSNI Assistant Chief Constable last September?”

Councillor McAleer also suggested contacting Minister for Justice Naomi Long again “in view of the massive implications for her Department’s budget, by paying security costs of the mining industry”.

Continuing, he said: “Someone must have made a strategic decision. We’ve received correspondence, but nobody is admitting responsibility.

“Whether that was done in a procedurally sound manner is a very important question. It’s a huge change in policy.

“When was the decision taken, who took it and what consultation was carried out?”

Seconding, Councillor Donal O’Cofagh, Independent, remarked: “It’s strange how a body with an oversight role and responsibility for reviewing policy don’t have any information, especially when the costs involved are genuinely enormous at a time when we are told by Stormont there is no money for anything.

“There’s always money when it comes to safeguarding the profits of corporate companies.”

Ulster Unionist Councillor John McClaughry told members the policy change is publicly known, and occurred following legal advice, when the Assistant Chief Constable confirmed the recovery of costs would not be pursued.

“I don’t know why we ‘re writing back asking that,” he said.

Councillor Josephine Deehan, Independent, declared herself “a strong advocate for ensuring public money is utilised effectively and efficiently”.

She added: “If we want this information, we have a right to have it provided.”

However, Ulster Unionist Councillor Victor Warrington felt that: “Writing back to the same people will get the same answers. Yet again we are wasting time. Our party is against this.”

The matter went to a vote, which resulted in a 15-15 draw.

Committee Chair, Councillor Howard Thornton, Ulster Unionist, used his casting vote, which was in line with his party’s position, thereby causing the proposal to fall.