Mid and East Antrim Borough Council

The May 14, 2026 planning meeting covered several procurement-related issues: (1) a waterfront housing scheme in Carrickfergus with a Section 76 obligation for seven social housing units within 33 total, including a call to execute the associated legal agreement; (2) two battery energy storage system (BES) projects (Ballylumford and Larne) under planning, highlighting potential future procurement of energy infrastructure and equipment; (3) a major redevelopment of the Swift Bar site with an investment of about £13.5m creating 60 construction jobs and 33 apartments (including 7 social housing units), with design revisions to address previous PAC concerns; (4) updates to policy and community engagement, including the revised statement of community involvement and local development plan briefing sessions; and (5) ongoing debate about parking, heritage considerations, and planning policy alignment in sensitive coastal areas.

Procurement-focused discussion centered on leisure services operating bank holidays. Members and officers debated options for delivering leisure facilities on holidays, with commitments to a full financial impact assessment, staffing implications, and costed options before any decision. Additional procurement governance points were raised on contract sealing and the delegation of decision-making. A separate policy debate on an Independent Environmental Protection Agency was also discussed, though the motion was defeated.

Key procurement-related and spending decisions discussed: (1) Approval of an Inclusive Summer Opportunities Grant (£12,400) to fund disability-accessible activities; (2) Proposal to establish a Town Centre Task Force to develop long-term regeneration plans across Ballymena, Carrickfergus and Larne with cross-sector collaboration; (3) Health service funding note that £3.5m has been allocated to gynecology via the elective care framework to reduce waiting lists; (4) EV charging contract across nine NI councils currently awarded, with details sought on implementation; (5) governance amendment to the Lived Experience Group terms of appointment; (6) discussion on obtaining a barrister’s opinion regarding street naming (procurement/legal risk management).

This special council meeting did not include procurement, spending, or policy-change discussions. The primary item was the conferment of the Freedom of the Borough on Sgt. George Horner, a Carrickfergus World War II veteran. The motion to confer was based on a notice of motion from 2025-10-13: "to formally recognize and honor the incredible service and sacrifice given bestows the freedom of the borough on sergeant George harm Horner, Carrickfergus World War two veteran who served with the second battalion Royal Auster rifles." The motion was proposed by Professor Collins and seconded by Councillor Raj. The conferment ceremony is planned for 2026-03-27 at Carrickfergus Town Hall, where the recipient will accept in person. The meeting subsequently adjourned to closed council.

The Mid and East Antrim Planning Committee discussed five planning applications with procurement implications: a large-scale Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) requiring civil works, road improvements and landscaping; a change of use to a worker housing HMO tied to a major manufacturing contract; a market garden retail extension with open space and flood risk considerations; two new floodlit 3G football pitches (Whitehead and Ballymena Showgrounds) with associated drainage, lighting and ecological assessments; and governance around planning decisions and objection handling. These items collectively signal potential contracts in civil engineering, drainage, landscaping, flood risk management, sports facilities construction, and retail/open space development. Key procurement opportunities will arise as applications progress to tender and contractors are sought for civils, drainage, fencing, lighting, and landscape works, subject to planning approvals and imposed conditions.

Primary procurement discussion concerns the Oxford Innovation preoperations contract for the i4C Innovation and Green Tech Center. Key points include: (1) a contract award for preoperations with Oxford Innovation at about £92,000 per year for 3.5 years; (2) serious cost/viability concerns, including conflicting figures (£27m vs £6m investment) and potential ratepayer impact; (3) planning and land ownership risks delaying procurement (land at St Patrick’s Barracks, DoC involvement); (4) governance concerns about process and transparency, with calls for workshops; and (5) a policy motion on NI parcel charges affecting procurement costs.