Other News In Brief

Goods Vehicle Operator Fined £400

A goods vehicle operator from Co Armagh has been fined £400 for tachograph and drivers' hours offences.

Christopher Hughes Transport Ltdwas convicted at Craigavon Magistrates' Court.

On 27 November 2016, Driver & Vehicle Agency (DVA) enforcement officers stopped a vehicle being used by Christopher Hughes Transport Ltd on the M1. On examination of the tachograph and drivers’ hours records several offences were identified.

Christopher Hughes Transport Ltd was fined £150 on each of two occasions for the driver’s failure to record data on the 23 and 24 November 2016. The company was also fined £100 for the tachograph not being calibrated in accordance with the regulations.

The Court also ordered Christopher Hughes Transport Ltd to pay an offender levy of £15.

Alliance Condemns Sectarian Graffiti In East Belfast

Alliance Councillor David Armitage has criticised those behind sectarian graffiti close to homes in east Belfast.

He said: "It is extremely disappointing to see these words appearing in our community - a community where everyone should be welcomed and made to feel at home.

"What's more worrying is that this latest graffiti attack comes not long after a number of Catholic families where forced to leave their homes in Cantrell Close due to intimidation. Enough is enough - in 2017 this cannot be the vision for our city.

"But those determined to pull out society back to the past will not be allowed to succeed. Rather than divide, the five main political parties united in condemning those responsible and recognising the need to move forward."

Work To Demolish Properties To Prepare For Barracks Regeneration To Begin

Work to demolish most of the properties to prepare St Patrick's Barracks in Ballymena for its future regeneration is to get begin.

The Sandhurst and York buildings will not be demolished, instead they will be used for civic and community purposes along with the parade ground which will be used as an open shared space.

The Department for Communities has appointed Deane Public Works Ltd to undertake the demolition works which are due to be completed by the end of June 2018.

Damian Mulholland, Director of the Regional Development Office at the Department for Communities said: "Excellent progress is being made on the redevelopment of St Patrick's Barracks. In an important first step, demolition work will shortly be getting underway to prepare the site and in the coming days the Department will be submitting planning applications for development use and access roads.

"Subject to planning and other statutory approvals, the site will see significant investment in the town and will result in a mixed tenure/shared housing scheme along with leisure, civic and community space."

(CD)