Causeway Coast and Glens Council Considers Freedom of Borough Events

The Causeway Coast and Glens Council is set to debate the scheduling of all Freedom of the Borough (FOB) events simultaneously. The discussion follows a report presented at the Commemoration and Celebration subcommittee meeting in September, which proposed establishing criteria to determine when a FOB is warranted.

Moira Quinn, Director of Corporate Services, referenced a successful motion from 2019 that suggested holding a single FOB ceremony in the latter part of Year 4 of the council term. This would allow the council to bestow up to four awards during this ceremony. Each FOB event incurs costs of approximately £8,000, and a budget of £20,000 has been allocated for civic functions in the fiscal year 2025/26, which includes these ceremonies.

Quinn emphasized the importance of timing, given that local government elections are scheduled for 2027. She indicated that it would be prudent to hold FOB events in the spring and/or autumn of 2026, adhering to a period of sensitivity ahead of the elections. Despite this recommendation, a special FOB ceremony was conducted last year to honour the contributions of health and social care workers during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The subcommittee also received requests for two additional FOB events, one recognising Hannah Scott, a Coleraine rower and Olympic gold medal winner, and another for the Northern Ireland Prison Service.

Committee chair and Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) alderman Michelle Knight-McQuillan expressed concerns regarding the rigid timeline. She remarked, “It’s all well and good having a recommendation that we just have these things in the last year, but if something happens that merits a FOB in the first year, it’s an awful long wait to the last year. I can’t see the sense in that.”

In response, Quinn acknowledged the challenges of accommodating multiple recipients in a single event. “I don’t know where we can facilitate four FOBs in relation to families and guests,” she added. “They could be four very different individuals or organisations, and it may dilute the prestige and the status associated with it.”

Knight-McQuillan expressed further apprehensions, highlighting the potential for conflicts should two deserving recipients be recognised on the same day. She called for a reassessment of the process and the associated budget, noting that catering costs have significantly increased since the original £8,000 allocation was made.

“The last FOB was for the NHS staff; there were a lot of people, that was a big one,” she said. “It just needs a bit more thought on how we deliver it. The whole point is to uplift someone who has given a great service to either our community or has done good work,” Knight-McQuillan continued.

Quinn suggested that the motion from 2019 could be amended or rescinded. Following the discussions, Knight-McQuillan successfully proposed deferring the report until the committee’s meeting in October, allowing for further deliberation among the parties involved.

Alliance Councillor Peter McCully supported this motion, concluding that the matter requires additional discussion to determine whether the council should continue along the current path or revisit the entire process.

As the council prepares to revisit this topic, the outcome may significantly shape the future of how Freedom of the Borough events are conducted and recognised within the community.