Following the most recent example of severe weather and with regular contact about the condition of local roads, senior Ulster Unionist Councillor Mark Cosgrove has called for a full review of the decision not to devolve control of local roads to local government as originally envisaged under the Review of Public Administration.

Councillor Cosgrove said, “DRD Road Service and their staff have done a great job working round the clock to keep the main arterial routes open, however this still leaves a significant number of people totally cut off, living off minor local roads and in local developments.

“My own constituency of Greater Glengormley and Mallusk have been particularly badly affected but rather than think just locally I am trying to work at a strategic level. I spoke with my colleague DRD Minister Danny Kennedy on Sunday when he cut short his 25^th wedding anniversary celebrations and was in work monitoring the operation and he was in full agreement that the issue needs to be reassessed.

“Many constituents already think that their local Council does have the responsibility for local roads related issues and clearly by devolving the powers we can create local solutions to local issues. The losses to the local economy through people not being able to go to work, the risk to life and property together with the general condition and up keep of local roads can no longer be ignored.

“Obviously any solution will involve the transfer of resources commensurate with the responsibility and it will then become the job of locally accountable politicians to decide if current service provision needs to be supplemented in line with local needs and associated costs. Local Government has the Capability to deliver on this vital issue and I am now calling on DRD / DOE and the Stormont Executive as a whole to look seriously at giving us the accountability. In my opinion doing nothing is not an option.”