Council urged to overturn SDLP-founder memorial decision

Belfast City Council will tomorrow be asked to overturn a decision to deny the family of Gerry Fitt the City Hall for a memorial service.

The SDLP’s Alban Maginness, MLA, will ask councillors at the monthly meeting of the full council to reverse the decision of the Policy and Resources Committee not to allow the City Hall to be used for a service to celebrate the life of the SDLP founder who died in August.

Mr Fitt’s five daughters want to use the City Hall as it is a religiously neutral venue to which people from both sides of the community who admired the former West Belfast MP and councillor could attend with comfort.

Mr Maginness, who hopes for cross-party support for his call, said he wanted the council to make an exception for Mr Fitt.

It is understood the Policy and Resources Committee, chaired by former Sinn Féin Lord Mayor Alex Maskey, did not vote against the Fitt family request , but turned it down without a vote after officials told them memorial services within the building were not in the rules.

Mr Maginness said: “This is such an exceptional situation you can’t apply the strict rules, you have to have some overruling discretion.

“Gerry Fitt was a major political figure in this city for well over 20 years. You can’t argue that he was not.

“The family want a secular service in a neutral venue which is of political significance and one with which Gerry had a long association with.

“I think it is reasonable to say City Hall is a a very good and very desirable and very appropriate venue.

“We are going to push for this,” said Mr Maginness.

Mr Fitt, who was city councillor, Stormont MLA and Westminster MP before going to the House of Lords was buried after a service in Westminster Cathedral.

The idea for the memorial service arose because many people who might have liked to attend were unable to travel to London.

They said: “We were disappointed that the City Council initially refused our request to sue the City Hall for an event to celebrate the life of our late father.”

Many of his friends from both sides of the community who had been unable to attend his funeral in London were just waiting for the opportunity to pay tribute to his memory at the event, they said.

“We are therefore heartened by the support from many councillors and others who believe the city council should reconsider their decision and we are pleased that they are now going to do so.”