City status bid cost may be £30,000

The local authority announced its plan last November to enter the ‘Civic Honours’ competition to mark HM The Queen’s Diamond Jubilee in 2012 which will see just one town in the UK granted city status.

Local authorities across the UK were invited to submit bids for their towns while existing cities will also have the chance to bid for a Lord Mayoralty.

To progress its application, Council formed a working group, involving the area’s MP, MLAS, elected members and other interested parties, which met for the first time just before Christmas to draw up plans.

And at last Monday night’s monthly meeting of Council, members were presented with draft proposals for the City Status Campaign which put the estimated cost at £20,000.

Council’s Chief Executive, Anne Donaghy, however, pointed out that the potential spend could be anything up to £30,000 and added that applications had to be in by May 27.

Mrs Donaghy said she understood that councillors would require time to consider the project and associated costs and suggested that the matter be put on the agenda of the next Development and Leisure Services Committee meeting for “full debate and consideration”.

The monthly meeting was, however, presented with the latest official press release on the campaign.

In it, Culture Secretary Jeremy Hunt, who has special responsibility for the Diamond Jubilee, says: “Marking Her Majesty’s 60 years on the throne in 2012 will be a great opportunity for the nation to come together in celebration, just as it did for her Silver and Golden Jubilees.

“This competition will be an important part of this and will ensure that there is a lasting legacy that will remain long after the festivities are over.”

Ballymena and other bidding local authorities have just a few more months to submit their entries before recommendations are submitted to the Queen by Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg.

Winners will be announced in the first half of 2012.