North West 200 funding faces new challenge from councillors

After seemingly securing the funds to go ahead with next year’s race, the North West 200 has re-encountered potential financial struggles after a challenge was made to a decision which granted £96,000 to the race.

 

The £96,000 was thought to have been confirmed last Tuesday (11 October) when Causeway Coast and Glens Borough Council were reported to have decided in favour of granting the funding. 

In total, the in-kind funding from local authorities was raised to £275,000 thanks to the aforementioned £96,000, which would have seen the race through 2023. 

However, the proposal put forward by North West 200 race organiser Mervyn Whyte faced opposition from Sinn Fein and the Social Democratic and Labour Party (SDLP), despite originally passing by 21 votes in favour to 11 against.

Over the weekend, though, the News Letter reports that there were two ‘call-in’ requests initiated requiring the re-evaluation of the decision by the council.

The call-in requests required signatures from six councillors, with those signatures reportedly coming from three independent councillors, and three SDLP councillors.

Reportedly, the concerns over the decision regard a lack of information regarding the event’s accounts, as well as the legality of the council entering into a partnership with a limited company, which in this case is the Coleraine and District Motor Club.

There will not be a decision made until the next full council meeting, and in the meantime the council will seek to make a legal determination on whether to press ahead with the additional £96,000 funding as planned. 

Images courtesy of North West 200 Pacemaker.

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