Antrim and Newtownabbey businesses invited to sign up for CCTV grants programme

The borough council is encouraging businesses to sign up for a CCTV grants programme as part of a scheme to support economic recovery and funding may also be made available for painting shop fronts.

The Department for Communities (DFC) alongside the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA) and the Department for Infrastructure (DFI) made just under £1m Covid recovery funding available to the local authority in response to the pandemic,

Funding of £972,000 was provided by the Stormont departments to support economic recovery in town centres and villages.

Antrim and Newtownabbey Mayor Councillor Billy Webb said: “We work closely with our local businesses and are always exploring innovative ways in which we can support their operations while contributing to improvements across our wider society.

“Businesses have had a tough time over the past 18 months and we want to make sure that their livelihood is protected.”

A total of 144 town centre and 87 rural businesses have received grants and delivered 91 awnings to 58 businesses through the Covid recovery funding.

The council also supplied 1,500 PPE packs and 10 hand sanitisation units to Antrim and Newtownabbey town centres as well as a ‘Back in Business’ marketing campaign, “small scale” environmental improvements and 125 bike stands.

It was previously proposed to include a pilot bike hire scheme in Antrim at a cost of £61,500. However, a commercial operator has since expressed an interest in exploring this project.

Instead, the council is now considering an extension and improvements to the footpath at the Mill Trail and Shakey Bridge, in Antrim, estimated at £31,500 and an accessible viewing point at Reas Wood, at Antrim Loughshore Park, at a cost of £30,000.

Michelle Weir, Local Democracy Reporter

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