By Adrian Mullan

ON paper, Omagh District Council is the most indebted council in Tyrone with liabilities of some £10.3 million the Environment Minister, Sammy Wilson, revealed this week. It is far from having the biggest of the debts of any of the 26 councils, but the figure is, nevertheless, double the other three Tyrone local government bodies put together. However, the figures are deceiving says the council which points out that its investments are worth four times more than the value of its debt.

Still, Omagh is a big spender, readily engaging in demanding capital projects in the face of criticism - sometimes even from within.

The Strule Arts Centre, magnificent as it is, is costly, despite millions of pounds coming from the Arts Council, Central Government, and the Lottery Fund about £3 million may eventually have to be forked out by local rate-payers.

Crucially, the Tourist Information Centre which was to have been sold for £1 million to help fund the project remains unsold, and with the value of property falling that expected revenue may be optimistic. The Arts Centre requires about half a million pounds of rates annually to keep it afloat, and the benefits of the sale of the Ulster History Park, which had cost over £10 million to build and run, but which was sold for a bargain basement £700,000, were largely negated when the massive subvention to the History Park was simply transferred to the Arts Centre.

A large extension to the Leisure Centre is also thought to be costing over £1 million, but whereas a Fermanagh Councillor last year feared being saddled with Omagh's debts in the fusion of the Fermanagh and Omagh into a super-council. It was pointed out by a council spokesperson that, the council is land and property rich, though perhaps not so much so as before the present economic crisis. The council estimates that it has assets to the value of £41.6 million.

The spokesman said, "ODC has followed a significant investment plan over the past twenty years and has been proactive and forward thinking in developing facilities and supporting the community to make Omagh a thriving and sustainable community and an attractive place in which to live, work, and invest."

"In all its undertakings Omagh District Council has invested prudently and in accordance with best practice to achieve value for money, and all new projects are supported by the development of a robust business case."

It was pointed out that the Arts Centre is valued at £11 million but was largely externally funded with just £1 million on loans raised by the council. Another example of prudent investment is the Public Prosecution Service Building which, whilst funded by long-term loans, has not added to the rates burden as all costs are being covered by income from the building.

Ballymena, Newtownabbey, and Coleraine councils have debts which dwarf those of Omagh at £30 million, £28m, and £27m respectively.

Dungannon and Strabane each have £2 million in debt and Cookstown has £1m, and Omagh's future local government partner, Fermanagh has £2 million.