A NORTH Belfast councillor has described a recent Arts Council musical instruments funding programme through the Department for Communities as a "vanity project" for Minister Gordon Lyons.

It comes after it was revealed that Belfast City Council has less than a tenth of its usual budget to help alleviate the impact of poverty for vulnerable people across the city.

Councillors were debating the one million pound Belfast Hardship Fund, which Sinn Féin were demanding should be restored to its former standing. At the monthly Belfast City Council meeting on Monday evening, Oldpark Sinn Féin councillor Ryan Murphy argued the same amount received by bands should be spent on the cost-of-living crisis in Belfast.

Last month council officials revealed they only had £75,000 for the development and delivery of a Hardship Programme in 2025/26 — less than a tenth of the previous budgets.

In the same month Gordon Lyons announced the latest round of the Arts Council musical instruments funding programme to the tune of £1.1m, including for three bands who took part in a Shankill tribute to UVF killer Brian Robinson.

Speaking in the Chamber, Councillor Ryan Murphy said: “A brief snapshot of (the Hardship Programme) shows over 140 schools supported with their breakfast clubs, family support hubs supporting 1,062 families, Trussell Trust foodbanks being able to support over 5,500 individuals, the Warm Well Connected winter warmth programme, and a whole range of other initiatives.

“And sadly, for the upcoming financial year, we are looking at only having a budget of £75,000. That will go towards the family support hubs, and we are happy that it will, but we have been left in a very difficult position.

“The Hardship Programme is a real life-line for people within the city of Belfast, who are being provided at a time when many are struggling with the cost-of-living crisis.

“I am hoping when we write to the minister on this, requesting that the department does step in and provide the funding as they did in the first year, they will find it.

“If Minister Lyons can find the guts of a million pounds to fund marching bands, which for me is no more than a vanity project for his party, then he should be able to find a million pounds to support those who are struggling the most with the cost of living crisis in this city.”

Hitting back, DUP councillor Sarah Bunting said: “We are supportive of writing to the minister asking for extra support but I want to point out it was not a vanity project for our party, and there were actually GAA bands and republican bands that may get funding out of that. (Sinn Féin) may want to check before they bring up that issue.”