Antrim & Newtownabbey Borough Council Meeting Highlights January 2026

The Borough Council met at Mossley Mill on Monday evening, 26 January, with a packed agenda and a strong public turnout.

While some items were routine, others touched directly on day-to-day issues for residents across Antrim and Newtownabbey.

Here are the main talking points.

The biggest discussion of the night focused on recent problems with household waste collections.

Senior figures from Bryson Recycling attended the meeting following widespread complaints about missed bins, assisted lifts not being collected, and a lack of clear communication when things went wrong.

The Mayor raised concerns shared by many residents, including:

Bryson’s Chief Executive apologised publicly and accepted that standards had dropped well below what residents should expect.

He explained that a mix of late vehicle deliveries, staff shortages, illness, and severe winter weather all contributed to the problems.

Steps already taken include:

The discussion continued behind closed doors, where councillors pushed for better planning, stronger staffing levels, and clearer communication going forward.

Councillors agreed a motion that could change how fireworks are used at local events.

The council will now explore silent fireworks for:

The move follows concerns about the impact of loud fireworks on children, pets, and livestock.

Council officers will report back with practical proposals, including changes to future events and a public awareness campaign ahead of autumn 2026.

A separate motion focused on the Police Service of Northern Ireland’s move to a digital-only system for firearms licence applications.

Councillors raised concerns that:

The council agreed to write to the PSNI and the Policing Board, calling for a dual system that allows paper applications alongside digital ones.

Local shooting clubs and rural groups will also be consulted to gauge the impact.

A small but practical decision saw councillors approve a name for a new housing development off Fairview Farm Road in Ballyclare.

The nine-home development will be known as:

Fairview Farm Close

Councillors noted responses from the Minister of Justice and the Minister for Infrastructure following earlier support for Caoimhé’s Law, which aims to stop the unauthorised recording and sharing of serious road traffic collisions.

Both ministers confirmed their backing for legislative change. No further action was required at this stage, but the issue remains on the council’s radar.

A lengthy update was given on council building and infrastructure projects across the borough.

Highlights include:

Some planned schemes will move ahead at a reduced scale, while others have been paused or removed from the programme due to funding pressures.

Councillors were told that revised business cases will return to committees between February and April.

The meeting closed with thanks to two senior council directors who are retiring, with councillors from all parties recognising their work through challenging post-pandemic years.

The meeting wrapped up just after 9.30pm.

You can read the full minutes of the January 2026 meeting here.

Also, click here, if you would like to read the summary of the minutes from previous council meetings in an easy to understand format.

Source: Antrim and Newtownabbey Borough Council