Man Convicted Of Benefit Fraud

A man has been convicted for claiming benefits he was not entitled to at Craigavon Magistrates' Court.

Conor Campbell claimed Jobseeker’s Allowance and Housing Benefit totalling £3,215 while failing to declare employment. He was given 175 hours community service.

He is also required to repay any outstanding money wrongfully obtained to the Department for Communities.

Funding Secured To Regenerate Glengormley

Over £280,000 in funding has been secured to regenerate the Glengormley area in Northern Ireland.

The work includes the replacement of granite pavements, the installation of new street furniture and street lighting is to be upgraded.

Funded by the Department for Communities and Antrim and Newtownabbey Borough Council, the work is due to commence later this year and will focus on the Carnmoney Road area of the town.

Communities Minister Paul Givan said: "This investment will bring significant improvements to Glengormley and remodel the landscape around Carnmoney Road into an attractive and modern environment.

"The scheme will build upon and complement the public realm works already completed at Portland Avenue and will contribute to further improving and regenerating the vitality of Glengormley.

"This substantial investment will help make the town more attractive to those people who live and work in the area and demonstrates my Department’s commitment to supporting our town centres through the implementation of the Newtownabbey Regeneration Strategy. I look forward to seeing the scheme completed."

Call For Executive To Prepare For Refugee Children

Alliance Councillor Kate Nicholl has called on the Executive to build the essential regional infrastructure to allow Northern Ireland to take refugee children into its borders.

The motion, brought forward by South Belfast Councillor Ms Nicholl, welcomed the UK Government's creation of a settlement scheme to bring unaccompanied refugee children in from Europe, and called on the Executive to carry out a feasibility study to explore how to fund and build the essential regional infrastructure needed to take such children in.

She said: "The UK Government showed leadership in creating this scheme, which makes it all the more disappointing none have yet been brought to the UK under it. Anyone looking at what these people have gone through cannot help but be horrified by the suffering they have endured and the risk they have taken in trying to escape it.

"We can and should play a vital role in in caring for these children, which makes it all the more disappointing we have yet to see any refugee children taken into the UK under this scheme."

(CD)