Section 1: Record of Attendance

Derry City and Strabane District Council Report of Community Information Event held in Newtownstewart 2000 Centre on Wednesday 4th Feb 2015 at 12 noon.

Section 1: Record of attendance:

1.1 In attendance:

 19 Members of the Public

 2 Councillors and

 8 Staff

1.2 Recorded attendance:

 P Dorris (Forge House)

 Amanda McConomy

 Joanne O’Doherty

 Irene Spratt (Derry& Raphoe Ulster Scots)

 Katie Devine (Libraries NI)

 Maura Craig (Libraries NI)

 Pat Taggart

 David Millar

 Harry McAnea

 David Thompson

 Valerie Gailey

 Derek Gailey

 Ivor Scanlon (N.T.S. District Community Association)

1  Marian Wilson

 W Wiler

 Brian O’Brien (R.N.W.C.S.)

 Sally Fitzpatrick (Supporting Communities Northern Ireland)

 Kim McLaughlin

 Sonya McAnulla

 Councillor Derek Hussey (UUP)

 Councillor Kieran McGuire (SF)

 John Kelpie, Chief Executive, Derry City and Strabane District Council

 Colm Bradley, Community Places

 Karen McFarland, Head of Development, Strabane District Council

 Susan Doherty, Economic Development Manager, Strabane District Council

 Amanda Biega Strabane District Council

 Ashleigh Devine, Strabane District Council

 Gemma Scarlett (Derry City Council)

 Christopher Gray (Derry City Council)

 Angela Hughes (Ilex)

Section 2: Record of comments and questions from those in attendance following presentations and during discussions: 2 2.1 Comments from the Public

 Sounds promising but in reality can it be delivered?

 Being located so far from Derry City Council geographically, will we now be left in limbo, will there be investment in tourism?

 Engagement of the wider community

 Local needs being identified and addressed

 Care for the elderly at home and the role Council could play in that- this in turn could stop bed-blocking, providing better homecare. We have lowest over 65 years population so should be easier in this Council to take the lead.

J Kelpie: not responsible but the Council does have an obligation to bring these issues to Health organisations and that Council do have a responsibility/role in facilitating that conversation. Through Community Planning Council must get involved in that conversation indirectly.

 To improve the health and wellbeing of our young people how can rate payers input ideas to the Community Plan i.e. provision of an exercise trail.

 How does the Council propose to do meaningful community engagement and take wider views into account?

 Delays in decision making- will this improve when this becomes part of Council responsibility 2-3 years waiting time is excessive

 New houses

 Building capacity of communities to engage in Community planning

3  Joined up working across different services and sectors.

 Focus on history – castles – no access for public

 Ulster Scots Community (Plantation)

 Fitness - MUGA pitch

 Public toilets

 Meeting local needs as identified in consultation with citizens

 Focused on real needs and delivers positive outcomes.

 Will Strabane District Council have to take on board / be inheriting huge rates bill from Derry City Council?

 What impact is this going to have on our ‘rates’ bill?

 Main street – parking

 Lighting for walking on bypass – need for a footpath

 How can Community Planning ensure the ‘Voice’ of rural communities is heard and not overlooked and as much a priority as urban?

 How will local plans work?

 Can broadband and mobile phone coverage be improved in the rural areas which are currently blank?

 Economic well-being and culture

 Power of general competence e.g. taking responsibility for gritting footpaths

 Understanding who is responsible for doing what?

J Kelpie: Roads Service is not transferring the gritting function to Council. Road Service has the power to do this but choose not to due to limited budgets. Through the power of competence Council can step in even if this is restricted.

4  Healthy facilities – outdoor exercise trail for people who don’t want to go to the gym e.g. walking dog/tackling obesity - How do they access these facilities?

K McFarland: Newtownstewart Leisure Complex is a Community Managed facility with a service level agreement with Council. Council provides Active Community Coaches to deliver programmes to older people, women, people with disabilities/preventative health, tackling obesity etc. whether outdoor such as at Vaughan’s Home, improving walking and signage.

 Improving outdoor angling/canoeing

 New play area is being developed.

 Have been working closely with the Public Health Agency in attracting funding for green gym equipment in Strabane, Castlederg and Donemana.

 There are loads of walking trails but no lighted area.

K McFarland: Council has increased lighting to make Vaughan’s Home safer.

 Better investment needed in the Newtownstewart area

Cllr D Hussey: Newtownstewart bypass –urged for a foot-walk – what influence has Council on Roads Service to allow this to happen?

J Kelpie: Key themes within Community Plan such as Health/Physical Regeneration - local plans will then be developed to deliver on these key themes. If it is in the Community Plan Council will have to look at this. Road Service will be tasked to deliver and obligated to pay due regard.

5  Pooling of resources from agencies.

 Toilets Facility – unless you are part of Vaughan’s Home Soccer Club or the GAA club, you can’t get access to the toilets.

KMcFarland: Council are open to Community Management – if there is a big event taking place public could get access such as Fishing Festival, a key could be kept at the Waste Management Site. Council would be happy to work in partnership with the Community to improve access.

 Maybe we need to consider do we need a 3G pitch? Can we not work in partnership with schools, if already in place?

 Would like to thank Strabane District Council and Councillors for canoe platform, fishing and walkway improvements.

Cllr D Hussey: How near should your facility be? E.g. Ardstraw plays in Newtownstewart; similarly for swimming, where is the facility for the people who actually want to use it?

 Building Capacity of Communities to engage in the process and to bring forward something for delivery where a need has been clearly established

 Future Search was undertaken by Strabane District Council and Derry City Council. This process created a new type of energy, bringing people around the table. Can Future Search be re-generated? I am very pleased to see the turnout today.

J McKelpie: Further Community planning process will take place on 25th February at 10am in Everglades Hotel.

 Impact on rates bill – assume there have been economies of scale.

J Kelpie: 2 different rates levels exist for Strabane District Council and Derry City Council. Derry City Council has a 12% higher domestic rate than that of Strabane District Council. Council can’t have the people in same Council area 6 paying different rates. This is not unique to our new Council. Government has provided £30 million as a convergence fund which will be used on a reduced % basis over the next four years.

 I am astonished that instead of economies of scale there is going to be an increase in spending.

J Kelpie: Have had a long time to plan, economies of scale can only kick in when we become a new organisation – efficiency plan will be drawn up by the new council and will reduce as much as Council can. It is a very big issue and there will inevitably be an impact.

 Have been through many amalgamations in my life and none led to increased costs.

J Kelpie: Many substantive cuts are being made at Central government that will impact adversely on local government particularly in Strabane District Council area – would have faced increased rates which would have had nothing to do with the merger. LPS have undertaken a re-evaluation of non-domestic properties and significant retail premises have increased rates. It is our assessment that increased rates would also be required by domestic properties. Council has been lobbying re: impact being disproportionate across the Council areas, particularly Strabane District Council area. This happens to coincide with local government reform.

D Hussey: Economic profile of Strabane – rates support has been in place – this has now been cut drastically. In same case rateable value of business has risen by 50%.

Section 3: Evaluation Form Feedback

3.1 Nine Evaluation Forms were received.

3.2 Please detail how satisfied you are with the event

 Excellent (2 marks)

7  Very good (7 marks)

 Satisfied

 Poor

 Very Poor

3.3 What did you like most about the event?

 Very informative, opportunity to meet and talk to other people. I liked the fact that I could speak face-to-face with any questions I needed answered.

 Well attended, clear presentation and good involvement from audience

 Clear presentations. Opportunity for questions. Very informative and interesting.

 Flexibility of approach

 Very informative- some of the information surprised me.

 Found out a lot about the new Council and what it will mean for the people within it.

 New hope, in the new Council for more work.

 Forward planning

 Opportunity to talk to other people

 Everything

 Good turnout. Presentations were very good. Good time for involvement of audience.

8 3.4 What could have been improved?

 Not really clear what the Council and other statutory bodies are actually responsible for i.e. Health; bed-blocking in hospitals, home care etc.

 A Roving microphone as could not hear contributions from floor.

 Nothing

 Keep all informed

 Started late. Presentations although very good could have been a bit sharper. Also too much “management speak”.

3.5 Any other comments?

 Culture issues

 National Health Service is in crisis, mainly caused by bed blocking. There appears to be no co-ordination between the statutory bodies and the Councils to solve this problem. With the lowest over 65 population in Northern Ireland there is a clear opportunity for Derry City Council to lead the way on this by greatly improving care in the community, so keeping sick people at home and getting those who need hospital care out of hospital as soon as possible.

The meeting concluded at approximately 2.15pm