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Community Planning Consultations Get Underway

July 7, 2015

Lisburn & Castlereagh City Council has organised a series of community engagement sessions, to take place across the Council area and to give local communities the opportunity to shape the Community Plan for public services in the new Council area.

Local residents and businesses are encouraged to attend at least one of these events to ensure that their views are represented as the community planning process proceeds.

Each of the eleven new councils is required to produce a ‘Community Plan’ relating to key public services in their local area and through its Corporate Strategy 2015/17, Lisburn & Castlereagh City Council has established its vision to be ‘a progressive, dynamic and inclusive council, working in partnership to develop our community’.

Alderman William Leathem, Chairman of the Council’s Governance and Audit Committee, speaking about the upcoming public engagement sessions, said: “The Council is very keen to hear from local residents, community leaders, statutory organisations, private businesses and voluntary groups on how they would like to see their local areas and communities develop.”

“It is a key aim for this process that the Council receives views from all sections of the local community and we hope that our young people and older residents will participate in this process to ensure that the plans for the area’s future are for the betterment of all.”

Community planning is essential in the current economic climate and partnerships and other forms of service delivery need to be explored to maintain and improve local services. Complex issues are often better tackled with a multi-agency response and a focus on outcomes will allow the Council to measure what difference the Community Plan has made.”

“The rules of engagement for community planning are based on the Council’s vision and values of accountability, civic leadership, transparency, inclusivity, value for money and excellent standards.  Such rules will ensure that engagement is effective and influential, that people are linked to decisions being made and that any decisions are better related to community aspirations and needs.” 

“Lisburn & Castlereagh City Council has already engaged with many partner agencies, both those who will be on the statutory list of partners, such as the PSNI, the Fire and Rescue Service, the Health Trust and Sport NI; as well as the support partners such as the South Eastern Regional College and Translink.”

Alderman Leathem added: “I would encourage as many people as possible to attend the engagement session in their area to ensure that the Community Plan is citizen centred and that local people and service users have the chance to shape policies, services and resources.  Our various community, voluntary and commercial organisations play an important role in supporting local engagement. 

“These engagement events are the start of a process aimed at helping public service providers and other agencies to work together with the community, to plan and deliver better services and to make a real difference to people’s lives.”

The planned community engagement sessions will cover subject matters such as the local economy, waste management, jobs, health, education, recreation/sports facilities, the natural environment housing, planning and community safety.  They will be taking place during the summer in the following locations:

 

Venue Date Time
Dromara Hall 27th July 7.00pm – 9.00pm
Hillsborough Village Community Centre 29th July 7.00pm – 9.00pm
Glenaidan Centre, Glenavy 3rd August 7.00pm – 9.00pm
Maghaberry Community Centre 4th August 7.00pm – 9.00pm
Island Civic Centre 5th August 2.00pm – 4.00pm
Island Civic Centre 5th August 7.00pm – 9.00pm
Enler Centre 10th August 7.00pm – 9.00pm
Bradford Court 12th August 2.00pm – 4.00pm
Lough Moss 12th August 7.00pm – 9.00pm
Drumbo Orange Hall 13th August 7.00pm – 9.00pm

 

Please confirm your attendance at a community engagement session by emailing: haveyoursay@lisburncastlereagh.gov.uk

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