A Dungannon councillor has branded Mid Ulster District Council’s dual language street sign policy a “farce” amid claims one survey saw just 10 per cent of the potential responses returned.
Speaking at a meeting of the council’s development committee on Tuesday, October 12, Councillor Clement Cuthbertson said such a response rate shows the current policy is simply wasting council officers’ time.
“With regards to surveys for street signs, there is one here with approximately 10 per cent of valid responses returned,” said Cllr Cuthbertson.
“This highlights the farce of the whole process and is a waste of officers’ time.
“We are sending an officer to the electoral office in Belfast to spend perhaps a day going through all the valid address in each of these streets in order to send the surveys out.
“Something seriously has to be changed. Yes, we had a review but we had no legal advice on it so I just want to highlight the farce of it and the waste of council money on this process.”
He also expressed some concern about a request for a dual language sign to be installed in English and Tetum, an official language of East Timor, in Dungannon town centre
“I notice a request has been received in relation to Georges Street and I would have come concerns about that,” said Cllr Cuthbertson.
“Georges Street is the town centre, it is not recognised as a residential area and yes, there may be a number of people living in apartments above shops but we have to be clear about the town centre.
“I am expressing these concerns tonight but I am happy for it to proceed to survey and will await the responses to it.”
