Fermanagh and Omagh District Council

The council unanimously supported a motion calling for the immediate restoration of emergency general surgery at the South West Acute Hospital. Members argued the current arrangement is unsafe, causing lengthy transfers, ambulance pressure and poorer outcomes, and said the minister should act now rather than wait for the Trust vision plan.

The committee went against officer recommendation and granted permission for a new agricultural building with cattle crush/holding pen facilities after hearing strong biosecurity and farm efficiency arguments. Members accepted that the structure was needed for an isolation/quarantine unit on a progressive livestock enterprise.

Members voted to illuminate council buildings for Pride and related observances, and the proposal was carried by 20 votes to 6 with 1 abstention. This is a small but definite civic spend and estates/energy action.

Members supported developing a council charter for ending violence against women and girls, linking it to the Executive Office framework and action plan, training, and partnership working. The debate also highlighted the need for funding to make local projects deliverable, particularly in rural and border contexts.

A previously deferred housing scheme in Lough Macquarie was approved after outstanding matters were resolved, including road servicing and layout details. Officers said the application was now compliant and members agreed to approve it, subject to conditions and delegated details.

The committee approved a substantial housing development in Enniskillen for 113 homes, including a mix of houses, apartments and bungalows, on zoned housing land. DFI Roads raised no objections subject to conditions, and the proposal was described as the next phase of the Flaxfield Wood development. This is a significant approved capital/residential development that would likely involve construction spend across housing, roads and landscaping.

The meeting focused on major financial pressures facing the Western Trust, including a requirement to deliver around 4% savings this year and wider three-year recovery targets, alongside concerns about agency staffing, cleaning reductions, and vacancy control. Members also discussed service pressures in community care, discharge delays, hospital-at-home, phlebotomy, and waiting lists, while the Trust set out investment in elective care, diagnostics, cancer services, MDT rollout, and digital tools. A substantial portion of the meeting covered the Fermanagh and West Tyrone health and care futures vision engagement exercise and its governance, timing, and cross-border considerations.

The meeting was dominated by operational service pressures and procurement-adjacent decisions, especially repeated complaints about Northern Ireland Water responses, waste collection failures, and roadworks/traffic management around the Southwest Acute Hospital. Members also agreed to pursue several follow-up letters and meetings, considered the roll-out of larger brown bins and vehicle procurement, and debated access and consultation arrangements for infrastructure, payphones, and local facilities. A major policy item on ending violence against women and girls was supported, with an amendment highlighting the need for funding.