The Mayor of Derry has called on the city’s politicians and partners to present a united front in the campaign for the expansion of Magee campus of the University of Ulster.
Cllr Brenda Stevenson issued the rallying call during a special meeting of Derry CIty Council called following the announcement by Minster for Employment and Learning, Dr Stephen Farry, that the expansion of the Derry campus was “off the shelf.”
It was agreed at the meeting that there would be one civic voice in the fight to have the expansion “back on the table.”
Speaking after the meeting, Cllr Stevenson said: “There should be no dissenting voices in relation to this issue, and I cannot emphasise enough the importance of presenting a united front in making an effective case for our city and our young people.
Mayor Cllr Brenda Stevenson.
“This approach was met with cross party support during today’s meeting, which included representatives of Magee, Ilex, and U4D. Following on from these discussions I will be co-ordinating a series of meetings over the next few weeks with our six MLAs, our MP, MEP, and the Speaker of the House, to drive this issue forward and to ensure that our united voice will be heard at all levels of political and civic life.”
She concluded:: “This is the single biggest issue to affect the city in terms of regeneration, and as a city with a significantly high youthful population we need to provide the level of education demanded by our young people, businesses and investors. The North West region cannot continue to be punished as a result of so-called welfare cuts.”
