Housing stress, telephone switch-off and Remembrance Sunday on the agenda at meeting

The meeting at Mossley Mill began with tributes to Liz Johnston, Director of Organisation Development, who is retiring after 20 years, and to local community groups, towns and villages who have won awards in recent week. Former DUP Mayor Billy De Courcy, who passed away at the end of August, was also remembered. A delegation from the Northern Ireland Housing Executive said that over 5,800 additional homes will be needed in the borough by 2035, including 3370 market homes, 910 intermediate homes and 1540 social homes. From April 2025-March 2026 there were 447 allocations of social homes. 434 of these, or 97%, were to to 'Full Duty Applicants'. The number of total applicants since 2023 has risen to 3590, with 2854 of those in housing stress and 2429 full-duty applicants. There are 59, 457 households in the borough, with 71.5% owner-occupied, 15.7% private rented and 12.8% social rented , and the Housing Executive manage a stock of approximately 6,165 homes. 20 house sales were completed

582 new social housing units have been programmed between 2026-29, including 557 urban units and 25 rural units. Strategic Guidelines target for Antrim and Newtownabbey during this period target 441 starts (411 urban and 30 rural) and 619 starts (urban) were achieved against the target, resulting in 178 additional starts. Co-ownership Housing Association had an active stock of 1,2 dwellings at March 2026, 85 of which were purchased during 2025/26. Housing Executive expenditure in the borough in 2025/26 was £33.83m. £42.01m was invested in new build social housing across Antrim and Newtownabbey. 126 new social homes were completed and 325 were under construction as of the end of March. In terms of planned maintenance, in 2025/26: £10.85m was invested in the maintenance and improvement of 1,769 of homes across Antrim and Newtownabbey. 1,653 were units included in 27 planned maintenance schemes in 2026/27 (which was 27% of Housing Executive stock in Antrim and Newtownabbey). Completed schemes included bathroom and kitchen re-wiring, bathroom replacement, doors, double-glazing, external maintenance, heating installation and low carbon special schemes.

It was noted that challenges facing the organisation are budget expenditure requirements and funding shortfalls, uncertainty around long-term funding for Housing Executive stock maintenance and modernisation, continued high level of social waiting list applicants and housing stress, levels of homelessness demand, shortage of social and affordable housing access urban and rural areas, fuel poverty, wastewater infrastructure constraints and the impact on new housing development and the impact of housing challenges on health and wellbeing of households. The representatives acknowledged that there had been an increase in demand and a decrease in homelessness, but noted that fewer people leaving social tenancies. New schemes at Deerpark by Clanmil and Blackthorn Hall for Triangle were noted, but it was admitted that there was an 'investment gap' and a backlog in planned maintenance, as well as rising homelessness and issues with revenue. It was also revealed that 33% of households are in fuel poverty, compared to 22% in 2016, with recognition of the link between housing and health inequalities. While they praised NIHE staff for their hard work in the borough, members expressed concern about the demolition of tower blocks in the borough, which have not yet been replaced. UUP Councillor Robert Foster said that the Housing Executive would struggle to meet their 2035 targets and needed to develop a recovery plan. DUP Alderman Stephen Ross asked if the fabric of homes was leading to difficulties in keeping them warm and insulated.

Meanwhile, Airport Sinn Fein Councillor Anne-Marie Logue said she had received 'a lot of complaints' about unkempt exteriors of properties in Crumlin.

"They look really run down, the fences, the painting, the landscape, residents are having to weed themselves, it seems to have gotten worse over the last two years, will there be investment to bring them up to a decent standard?"

She was told that the maintenance cycle in Crumlin is 'behind' and that staff would get more details. Alliance Alderman Julian McGrath expressed worried about long waiting periods for adaptations for residents with disabilities and were told these were becoming 'increasingly more complex'. DUP Antrim Town Councillor Paul Dunlop said that private sector developers were 'gobbling up land' and that a considerable amount of land would be needed for targets to be met, adding 'there is very little left'.

He was told that more public land was being looked at and a business case was being made for the Executive to directly acquire land, with those proposals part of a review due to report in November. Mayor Henry Cushinan praised the Deerpark scheme as a 'beautiful development, very high spec' and said he hoped all new schemes could reach that standard. Later in the meeting, Stephen Fletcher, Senior Manager Business Planning, Openreach NI and Kathryn Barry, Marketing & Public Relations Manager, Openreach NI provided an update on the transition away from analogue services, which is only a few months away, and the potential impact on residents. Mr Fletcher said that there 'may be vulnerable people in the community who think it is a scam' and that 'our legacy network is becoming less reliable', with current equipment beyond its intended lifespan.

Customers who remain on the legacy network experience a higher fault rate compared to those who have moved to full fibre and at the end of January 2027, the old telephone network will be retired. Consumers and businesses now need to take action with their service provider to ensure they don't lose service. In Northern Ireland, 7% of customers have yet to migrate - representing about 2300 customers in Antrim and Newtownabbey. Remaining customers across the UK will receive a 60 days notice letter from their service provider reminding them that their existing service will cease. Vulnerable customers (over 70 or with a medical device) need to let their service provider know they are vulnerable to ensure they don't lose service. Service providers have signed up to an industry charter to ensure vulnerable customers are protected.

Any lines still connected after the end of January 2027 may be moved by their service provider to an emergency voice only service provided by Openreach allowing access to 999 services. The switch will not just impact phone lines and emergency phones, but numerous types of alarms, CCTV, door entry systems, external bells, tills, printers, medical equipment and blood fridges, custodial tags, arcade machines, lottery terminals, vending machines, ATMs, chip and pin terminals, Paypoint machines, bus stops, car park barriers, EV charges, motorway signs, pay and display machines, level crossings, flood and other weather monitoring, air con units, gas, sluice gates, smart meters and street lights.

Residents have been reminded that communication from service providers is 'not a scam' and that they need to take action on guidance provided by service providers either by call, email, or letter, and flag to their service provider if they have a medical device and require additional help. Mr Fletcher said he was happy to work with the council and 'create a path into council communications'. He said that residents who needed it would have access to an 'emergency voice product'.

Councillor Foster asked if, as requested at the last meeting, there had been any engagement with charities assisting the elderly, or the Northern Trust, to identify vulnerable people. Mr Fletcher said such engagement was difficult because of GDPR but that service providers would be trying to ascertain who would need extra assistance.

Councillor Dunlop said it was important to contact the carers or relatives of vulnerable people and those depending on fall alarm to make sure they were aware. He added: "You are talking about service providers and we are talking about the person providing the vulnerable people with a different type of service. It is confusing me, so I am sure it will be confusing for a vulnerable person and we need to make sure the communication is very clear."

One of the last items on the agenda was a schedule of Remembrance Day services and parades taking place in the Borough. At the AGM of the council in June, where Henry Cushinan became the first Sinn Fein Mayor of Antrim and Newtownabbey, Independent Alderman Paul Michael, who is chair of the Antrim branch of the Royal British Legion, invited the new First Citizen to lay a wreath at the War Memorial in the town. However it is not known if the Mayor has confirmed his attendance.

At the October meeting this week, Alderman Ross said he was happy to propose the schedule of events and 'while doing so, congratulate everyone laying a wreath at all those dates and times and places’, adding: "It is an honour to lay a wreath in memory of all those who died in the First World War and the conflicts that came after."

Citing the poem 'In Flanders Fields' by Lieutenant-Colonel John McCrae, he said: "If anyone has an issue on why we lay a wreath, go and read that and come back."

This was seconded by Councillor Dunlop, who said he was pleased to see work had been completed at All Saints Parish Church in Antrim after a fire over Christmas 2024, and said he hoped the building would be back in use by Remembrance Sunday.