Fermanagh Vote Probed

An electoral court is this week looking into the slim majority win of Sinn Fein's Michelle Gildernew in Femanagh/South Tyrone at the recent general election. The probe got under way in Dungannon on Monday despite a last-minute legal argument that rival Rodney Connor "doesn't have a leg to stand on". Mr Connor, a unionist unity candidate who lost out to Ms Gildernew by four votes in May's election, claims there were breaches in the statutory rules and wants the votes to be re-scrutinised along with a fourth recount of the 47,000 votes and the election voided.

Male Nurse Killer 'Guilty'

A teenager has pleaded guilty to the manslaughter of a retired psychiatric nurse in Omagh last year. The 17-year-old, who had previously been charged with the murder of Francis O'Neill, 78, was granted continuing bail until sentencing on a date to be decided. A post-mortem exam found that the victim had been strangled and stabbed in the neck after he was found dead at his home in Brook Valley in April 2009. A trial in June collapsed for legal reasons just two days before it was due to end and a fresh trial was expected to begin in Omagh on Wednesday, but at the start of proceedings, the youth, who cannot be named for legal reaons, pleaded guilty to manslaughter.

PSNI Barracks Opens

A new £15.5m police station has been opened in Co Tyrone with the new facility covering the Cookstown and Dungannon areas as well as Omagh. It is on Omagh's Derry Road, on part of the former St Lucia Army Barracks site. Chief Constable Matt Baggott was at the opening ceremony on Tuesday morning.

MP Welcomes Equitable Move

Sammy Wilson, MP for East Antrim, speaking during the second reading of the Equitable Life (Payments) Bill in the House of Commons has welcomed the fact that the Government has moved quickly to put in place the powers that are needed to compensate Equitable Life policyholders but warned that people wanted assurances that there would be a fair settlement. "It is the duty of the Government to take this matter forward, especially given that when in opposition and during the election the Conservative party pledged to implement the parliamentary ombudsman's report and recommendations, which for most people meant not a small fraction of their relative loss but substantial payments," he said, noting that the House of Commons must have its say on a payments scheme for policyholders: "I hope that MPs get am opportunity to vote on this."

NIE Freeze 'Welcomed'

The SDLP Energy Spokesperson Dr Alasdair McDonnell has on one hand welcomed yesterday's announcement by NIE that the price of electricity for their customers will not rise this winter, but on the other has slammed background trends. The South Belfast MP said: "This is a very welcome development and is good news for thousands of NIE customers, including both households and businesses," he said, but noted: "The fact still remains that electricity prices here are higher than other areas of the UK and people spend a significant proportion of their income paying energy bills. Competitiveness in pricing among companies that provide these essential services to the public is very healthy, particularly at this tough economic time, and I would urge other energy providers to consider freezing their prices as we enter the cold winter months."

Planners 'Jobs Boost'

A local council may be about to buck the trend with Derry City Council considering employing extra planning officers to help NI Planning Service, which is facing cuts to its staff. In April, it was announced that a third of Planning Service staff would be moved to other Civil Service posts. However, pressure on planners is expected to increase in the run up to Derry becoming UK City of Culture 2013 and Londonderry's Chamber of Commerce has since warned the city could lose out on investment due to delays in the planning process.

Smoking Legislation Costs

A man has been fined £30 for smoking in a work vehicle. John Ward, from Culmore Gardens in west Belfast, was also ordered to pay court costs of £69 after he was detected smoking in his work vehicle at Falls Road on January 26, 2010. The prosecution was brought by Belfast City Council. Also fined in court on Tuesday was Sam Agnew, from Upper Braniel Road in east Belfast. Mr Agnew was fined £60 and ordered to pay costs of £69 after failing to reply to an information notice, issued by Belfast City Council, in relation to an investigation into an offence under the Smoking Order NI on February 3, 2010.

(BMcC)