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Councillors pay party snub bill Councillors pay party snub bill
(1 day later)
Nine DUP councillors in Coleraine have agreed to pay £2,000 each to cover an £18,000 legal bill arising from a court action taken by a Sinn Fein councillor.Nine DUP councillors in Coleraine have agreed to pay £2,000 each to cover an £18,000 legal bill arising from a court action taken by a Sinn Fein councillor.
Billy Leonard was excluded from the council's Christmas party last year.Billy Leonard was excluded from the council's Christmas party last year.
He took Coleraine Borough Council to court over the decision not to invite him to the event.He took Coleraine Borough Council to court over the decision not to invite him to the event.
Welcoming his victory, Mr Leonard said: "Legally, financially, and morally, it has been shown to the public that the DUP mayor acted wrongly."Welcoming his victory, Mr Leonard said: "Legally, financially, and morally, it has been shown to the public that the DUP mayor acted wrongly."
Mr Leonard said the decision was contrary to equality legislation.Mr Leonard said the decision was contrary to equality legislation.
I know £2,000 would have bought a lot of cocktails sausages, but I stand by our decision that we were right not to invite Billy Leonard Adrian McQuillanDUP councillor "That is more important than the personal loss to the DUP councillors," he said. I know £2,000 would have bought a lot of cocktail sausages, but I stand by our decision that we were right not to invite Billy Leonard Adrian McQuillanDUP councillor "That is more important than the personal loss to the DUP councillors," he said.
"If they had not been so politically and crassly stupid about this issue, it would not have happened at all.""If they had not been so politically and crassly stupid about this issue, it would not have happened at all."
The average councillor earns £7,500 through political work.The average councillor earns £7,500 through political work.
Adrian McQuillan is one of the first DUP councillors to accept that they should foot the bill, rather than rate payers.Adrian McQuillan is one of the first DUP councillors to accept that they should foot the bill, rather than rate payers.
Letter of apologyLetter of apology
"I know £2,000 would have bought a lot of cocktails sausages, but I stand by our decision that we were right not to invite Billy Leonard," he said. "I know £2,000 would have bought a lot of cocktail sausages, but I stand by our decision that we were right not to invite Billy Leonard," he said.
"We are all ordinary working people in the DUP and £2,000 is a lot of money in anybody's book."We are all ordinary working people in the DUP and £2,000 is a lot of money in anybody's book.
"We paid £18,600 between us - we didn't have to rob the Northern Bank, it was hard-earned cash.""We paid £18,600 between us - we didn't have to rob the Northern Bank, it was hard-earned cash."
In February, the case was settled out of court, after lawyers for the DUP councillors advised them the High Court was likely to find in favour of Mr Leonard.In February, the case was settled out of court, after lawyers for the DUP councillors advised them the High Court was likely to find in favour of Mr Leonard.
Mayor Timothy Deans agreed to write an open letter of apology to Mr Leonard in which he admitted he had been ignorant of the law regarding equality matters in local government.Mayor Timothy Deans agreed to write an open letter of apology to Mr Leonard in which he admitted he had been ignorant of the law regarding equality matters in local government.