Derry City and Strabane District Council

The committee considered and approved a change of use from a dwelling to office accommodation for the Samaritans at 16 Buncrana Road, Derry. Officers concluded that the proposal met the relevant planning policies despite objections, mainly because the service would be discreet, telephone-based, and involve no drop-in or face-to-face attendance. A condition was also recommended to limit the nature of the use.

Officers sought approval to apply to Sport NI’s Get Active NI 2026/27 programme, delivered in partnership with the London Morrison Foundation, to increase participation in sport and physical activity among inactive or underrepresented residents. The report states the maximum award available to the council is £51,000.

The council agreed in principle to procure external support for internal audit because the internal audit team has been operating below full complement since January and may not deliver the agreed audit plan. Officers intend to obtain quotations from local providers for two or three audits, potentially on a call-off basis, and will bring a further report on costs before appointment.

Officers sought approval to replace end-of-life pay-and-display machines in council car parks. The replacement programme is budgeted at about £130,000, funded from repairs, renewals and maintenance budgets, and will add contactless payment functionality while preparing for future ANPR capability if legislation changes.

The committee approved the new Ulster University teaching and student centre, a significant capital project estimated at £30 million and expected to support more than 160 construction jobs. The development is part of the university’s wider expansion to 10,000 students and will include lecture theatres, teaching rooms, labs, student services and social learning spaces. This is a clear capital spending commitment with likely construction and professional-services procurement implications.

Council approved awarding its occupational health services contract to Optima Health after a tender process. The current contract was due to expire on 31 July and the new arrangement is valued at about £43,544 per annum, similar to the previous three years.

The meeting focused on Ulster University’s announced redundancy programme, the financial pressures behind it, and the impact on Magee campus expansion, staff wellbeing, student provision and the local economy. Members heard from Unite, Unison and UCU about the risk of up to 450 redundancies, the removal of a 50p hourly top-up for low-paid staff, the need for fairer public funding and the importance of ruling out compulsory redundancies. Council then debated and passed motions to support the unions, press the university and government for action, and request publication of the university’s recovery/business plan.

The meeting focused on Ulster University’s proposed staff reduction scheme, the financial pressures driving it, and the implications for the Magee campus expansion and medical school project in Derry/Londonderry. Members challenged the university on redundancies, student fees, management costs, and the status of capital funding, while the vice chancellor argued that higher education funding is structurally unsustainable and that the university must reduce costs to remain viable. The discussion also covered the risks and sequencing of the Magee expansion programme, including preparatory work for the medical school building and the impact of the absence of a multi-year budget.