£3.55m project costs disclosed as councillor presses council over future consultancy spend
CGI design drawing of the proposed new Ballymena Health, Leisure and Wellbeing Centre
Consultancy and related expenditure disclosed across four major Mid and East Antrim Borough Council projects had reached more than £3.55 million by the end of June — including almost £1.14 million across two Ballymena projects.
The figures have prompted Ulster Unionist Party Braid Councillor Alan Barr to press the council over whether delays, changes or contract extensions could result in further consultancy costs — and when elected members would get a say if spending increases.
Council figures obtained through a Freedom of Information request show expenditure of £1,858,050.46 for Carrickfergus Regeneration, £869,698.25 for the proposed new Ballymena Leisure, Health and Wellbeing Centre, £558,178.51 for The Gobbins Phase II and £268,645.98 for Ballymena’s i4C project. The figures are stated as being correct at the end of June 2026.
Together, i4C and the proposed leisure centre account for £1,138,344.23 of the expenditure disclosed — while the three Belfast Region City Deal projects collectively account for £2,684,874.95.
Barr questions potential for further costs
Ulster Unionist Party councillor for Braid, Alan Barr
Cllr Barr tabled a question for September’s full meeting of Mid and East Antrim Borough Council on Monday 7 September, asking what further expenditure could lie ahead.
He asked:
“Given the significant level of public money already incurred in consultancy fees, can officers confirm whether any further consultancy fees are anticipated as a result of any additional costs, project changes, delays, contract extensions or additional work, and, if so, what measures are being taken to ensure that any further expenditure represents value for money for ratepayers?”
In its written response, the council said consultancy spending on the Leisure, Health and Wellbeing Centre and City Deal programme was “essential” to delivering large-scale capital projects, with consultant teams providing the specialist disciplines required to design and deliver the facilities.
No further leisure centre consultancy currently committed
The council confirmed that the consultant team previously appointed for the proposed new Leisure, Health and Wellbeing Centre at the St Patrick’s Barracks regeneration site has completed the scope of its contract.
As a result, no further consultancy expenditure is currently committed on that project. However, the council made clear that this would change if elected members decide to progress the leisure centre.
CGI design drawing showing aerial view of the proposed new Ballymena Health, Leisure and Wellbeing Centre
It said:
“Therefore, no further spend on consultancy fees are currently committed to on this project. However, if Elected Members wish to progress the project, further consultancy spend will be required in the future.”
The FOI breakdown shows £652,103.03 attributed to Perfect Circle JV Ltd as the integrated consultant team and £113,903 to Kennedy Fitzgerald Architects LLP for a feasibility study. It also records £52,618 to CIPFA C.co Ltd and a £28,306 planning application fee.
Other expenditure listed for the leisure centre includes £18,833.75 to Strategic Leisure Ltd for the facilities mix, £1,300 for a topographical survey, £1,074.47 for a newspaper advert, £970 for architectural work and £590 for leaflet distribution associated with public consultation.
The inclusion of costs such as the planning application fee and public consultation expenditure within the FOI breakdown means the £3.55 million overall figure is more precisely described as consultancy and related expenditure disclosed by the council, rather than exclusively payments to consultancy firms.
City Deal contracts can result in additional fees
For the three Belfast Region City Deal projects, the council remains in live contracts with consultant teams. It said all were appointed through two-stage competitive procurement exercises independently monitored by Construction Procurement Delivery (CPD).
The council confirmed that the type of contract stipulated by the City Deal funder contains provisions entitling consultants to additional fees if the scope of a project changes or its contract duration becomes longer.
It said:
“The type of contract for engaging consultants on the City Deal projects is stipulated by the funder, and do contain clauses that entitle the consultants to additional fees if the scope of the project changes or the duration of the contract becomes elongated. This is standard practice as a consequence of both scenarios is additional work for the consultant team.”
The council said additional fees are negotiated using rates submitted through the original competitive tender process, allowing value for money to be assessed.
It also confirmed that fees associated with current changes to the scope and timescales of the City Deal projects have already been accounted for within current project budgets, agreed during the rates-setting process for this financial year.
Carrickfergus accounts for largest share
Aerial view showing regeneration plans near Carrickfergus Castle
Carrickfergus Regeneration has recorded by far the largest consultancy total among the three City Deal schemes, at £1,858,050.46 — around 69% of the £2.685 million City Deal consultancy expenditure disclosed.
Of the Carrickfergus total, £1,828,543.46 is attributed to McAdam Design Ltd as the integrated consultant team. A further £16,412 was recorded for a Department of Finance Gateway Review and £13,095 for Strategic Investment Board project management resources.
The £558,178.51 recorded for The Gobbins Phase II includes £410,939.46 to Hood McGowan Kirk LLP as the integrated consultant team, £101,618.24 to Causeway Geotec Ltd for site investigations and £28,000 to Redrock Geoscience Ltd for cliff investigations.
CGI showing part of the planned next phase of development at the Gobbins on the East Antrim coast.
Smaller Gobbins costs cover areas including BREEAM registration, preparation of the business case, tourism consultancy, a topographical survey and traffic consultancy. Meanwhile, the entire £268,645.98 recorded against i4C is attributed to W H Stephens as the integrated consultant team.
Council points to £60m external funding
The council said 70% of all City Deal expenditure, including consultancy fees, is recoverable from external funders.
It argued that the consultants have provided “crucial support” in ensuring £60 million of external funding remains secured to part-finance an £85 million City Deal programme across the borough.
According to the council, that investment is expected to support 435 direct, indirect and induced construction jobs during the build phase and 564 direct, indirect and induced jobs during the operational phase, as well as generating £23.5 million in Gross Value Added per year for the local economy after completion.
The council also highlighted social clauses within consultant contracts, saying these have enabled design teams to provide employment opportunities for people with additional needs and the long-term unemployed, as well as apprenticeship opportunities on council contracts.
It added that the design team appointed for the Carrickfergus project recently operated a community grants scheme which saw £7,500 awarded to a local primary school.
Barr presses council on member oversight
During the council meeting on Monday evening, Cllr Barr acknowledged the written response before putting a supplementary question directly to officers.
He asked:
“If project delays, scope changes, or contract extensions result in increased consultation fees, will elected members be given the opportunity to vote on whether each project should proceed before additional consultation expenditure is incurred?”
Council Programme Director Jonathan McGrandle
Council Programme Director Jonathan McGrandle responded that legally binding contracts are already in place with consultants and project managers are operating those contracts in accordance with their terms and conditions.
He added:
“But members please be assured that all projects and City Deals are all on budget and also the current costs include all current forecasted consultancy spend at this minute and time.”
Mr McGrandle said project costs are regularly monitored by his team, consultants and CPD, which is appointed by the funder to provide independent assurance around costs.
He told councillors that CPD was effectively “checking our homework on each of our projects” to ensure budgets align with recognised standards and forecast practice for construction projects in Northern Ireland.
Mr McGrandle also said project budgets contain “really healthy pots for risk, inflation and optimism bias” so that, as far as reasonably practical, allowances have already been made for potential future cost increases.
However, he confirmed that elected members would be asked for direction if projects moved outside their currently approved budgets.
He said:
“But certainly, members, if the projects were to creep outside of the current approved budgets, yes, it would be standard practise to bring the projects back as we have done in the past for elected members to seek that direction in how they should go forward.”
For now, the council’s position is that the City Deal projects remain within their approved budgets and current forecasts include anticipated consultancy expenditure. However, if any project moves outside its approved budget, officers have confirmed it would be brought back to elected members for direction on how it should proceed.
