Republican News · Thursday 30 May 2002

Unionist council accused of discrimination

A judicial review into Newtownabbey Council's provision of services for nationalist areas in Glengormley is underway.

Newtownabbey Borough Council's charges are among the highest rates in the North but estates such as Hightown, Elmfield and Vadegan, with a combined population of almost 10,000 mostly nationalist residents, have no community facilities.

Two Catholic residents from Newtownabbey are taking the judicial review on the basis that there are no leisure or youth facilities owned by the council located in Glengormley. All of the council's facilities, such as the Valley Leisure centre, are located in loyalist districts, which makes then inaccessible to nationalists.