What Happened at the Council’s Policy & Governance Meeting (4 November 2025)
If you’ve ever wondered what actually gets discussed at council committee meetings — and how it affects day-to-day life across Antrim & Newtownabbey — here’s a plain-English breakdown of the main talking points from the Policy & Governance Committee meeting held on Tuesday 4 November 2025.
The meeting covered everything from street signage and councillor pay, to council finances, cyber security, and major capital projects planned across the borough.
🪧 Dual Language Street Signs: What’s Changing?
One of the most locally relevant items was an update on dual language street sign applications.
Approved for Installation
The following streets have met the required resident support threshold and will now proceed to installation:
Arthur Road, Newtownabbey
Arthur Park, Newtownabbey
Gallagh Road, Toome
Still Under Review
Arthur Crescent, Newtownabbey is currently at the canvassing stage, meaning residents will be consulted before any decision is made.
👉 Importantly, council officers confirmed that all applications followed the existing policy, which requires at least two-thirds of residents to support the change before signs are approved.
💷 Councillors’ Allowances Increased
Councillors approved an update to the Scheme of Allowances for 2025–26, following guidance from the Department for Communities.
Allowances have increased by 3.2%
This applies to Basic Allowance and Special Responsibility Allowances
The increase is backdated to 1 April 2025
Any further changes during the financial year will need additional council approval.
📊 Council Finances: How Are We Doing?
Overall, the council’s finances are currently in a healthier position than expected.
Budget Performance (April–September 2025)
Council overall: £990,000 under budget (a 2.7% favourable variance)
Finance & Governance Directorate: £198,000 under budget
Organisation Development Directorate: £159,000 under budget
In short, spending is being kept under control across several departments.
🧾 Paying Local Suppliers: Mostly On Time
The council also reviewed how quickly it pays invoices — something that matters to local businesses and suppliers.
Key figures (July–September 2025):
91% of invoices paid within 30 days (target: 90%)
78% paid within 10 working days (target: 80%)
Slight dip attributed to new finance software being rolled out
Despite the small drop in 10-day payments, performance remains better than the Northern Ireland council average overall.
🔐 Cyber Security: How Prepared Is the Council?
Given recent high-profile cyber attacks affecting organisations like the NHS, the council completed a cyber desktop exercise to test how well services would cope with a serious cyber incident.
What Was Tested?
Simulated cyber attacks (including ransomware-style scenarios)
Impact on key services like Planning, Waste, Leisure and Finance
Use of existing business continuity plans
What’s Happening Next?
Mandatory cyber security training for staff
Updated continuity plans across all departments
Supplier cyber readiness checks
Future cyber resilience exercises planned for 2026
An independent review of council cyber security
The takeaway: cyber security is being taken seriously, with concrete follow-up actions already agreed.
🏗️ Major Capital Projects: What’s Being Built or Upgraded?
A detailed update was provided on capital projects across the borough, ranging from play parks to major facilities.
Currently Under Construction (£13.4m total)
Projects include:
Mallusk Play Area
Kings Park Play Area
Rathcoole Play Area
Craigmore Household Recycling Centre
3G Pitch at Ballyclare
Glengormley Office Block
Coming Up Next
Projects moving through planning and business case stages include:
Glengormley Environmental Improvement Scheme
Mossley pitches drainage
Solar PV at Mossley Mill
Carmoney Cemetery path resurfacing
New sports pavilion at Threemilewater / Abbey College
More detailed prioritisation will be discussed at a Capital Workshop later this month.
🎄 Christmas Eve Half-Day for Council Staff
Councillors also approved a half-day closure for council staff on Christmas Eve 2025, continuing a long-standing arrangement. Where services can’t close early, staff will receive time off in lieu.
🧾 Transparency & FOI Requests
Freedom of Information requests were up sharply:
47% increase compared to last year
100% of requests completed within legal deadlines
Most requests related to Environmental Health, Finance, Planning and Waste
One complaint is currently under review by the Information Commissioner’s Office, relating to redacted waste collection documents.
⏱️ Meeting Wrapped Up Quickly
Despite a packed agenda, the meeting concluded at 7.09pm, just under 40 minutes after it began — with several items taken “in confidence” once the public livestream ended.
Final Thought
While much of the discussion focused on governance and finance, the decisions made here will directly affect local streets, facilities, council services, and future investment across Antrim & Newtownabbey.
If you’d like these updates after every meeting — without having to wade through council minutes — this is exactly the kind of thing we’ll keep breaking down.
Source: Antrim and Newtownabbey Borough Council