LOCAL GOVERNMENT CAPACITY BUILDING STUDY VISIT Wednesday, 28th November 2018 – Seamus Heaney HomePlace, Bellaghy (Mid Ulster District Council)

www.cooperationireland.org LOCAL AUTHORITY STUDY VISIT LOCAL AUTHORITY STUDY VISIT Wednesday 28th November 2018, Seamus Heaney HomePlace, Bellaghy Wednesday 28th November 2018, Seamus Heaney HomePlace, Bellaghy

SEMINAR PROGRAMME BIOGRAPHIES:

9.30 – 10.00am Registration & Refreshments Cllr Sean McPeake, Anthony Tohill Chair of Mid Ulster District Chief Executive, 10.00-10.10am Welcome & Opening Remarks Council 2018/19 Mid Ulster District Council Cllr. Sean McPeake, Chairperson, Mid Ulster District Council

Cllr McPeake is the current Chair of Mid Ulster District Council and has Anthony Tohill was appointed as the first Chief Executive of Mid Ulster 10.10am-10.30am Mid Ulster & The HomePlace: previously served on Magherafelt District Council and was elected on to the District Council in April 2014. He has over 20 years public sector experience new Mid Ulster District Council in May 2014. Cllr McPeake represents Mid having worked in a diverse range of positions both in Central and Local What Makes the HomePlace special? Ulster District Council on ICBAN, Rural Development Programme Local Government. He joined the Civil Service as a graduate engineer in 1995 Action Group (LAG) and Policing and Community Safety Partnership. A holding positions in road design and traffic management. Anthony worked Anthony Tohill, Chief Executive, Mid Ulster District Council previous member of his party’s ruling Ard Comhairle Executive and leader for Derry City Council from 2005 to March 2014, initially as Head of Design of the Sinn Féin Councillor grouping, Cllr McPeake has also served as vice- & Project Management before moving on to the post of Chief Building chair of the Review of Public Administration’s Strategic Leadership Board Control Officer. Prior to taking up his current position Anthony was and Policy Development Panels. Cllr McPeake is NILGA’s Vice President. A employed as Strategic Director of Corporate Services in 10.30am-11.00am Can one man define a Place? Can a community be the Place? : strong advocate of NILGA, he has been an Office Bearer for 10 years, Derry City Council. previously serving as NILGA President on The Power of Interpretation two occasions. Tom Dowling, Chairperson, Pride of Place & Tom Dowling former County Manager, Meath Chairperson, Pride of Place

11.00am-11.15am Q&A Tom retired as Chief Executive of in September 2012, after over 40 years’ local government service in various local authorities. Prior to taking up his chief executive position in Meath he worked as Chief Executive with . Since completing his contract with Meath County Council, he has taken on Non-Executive Director roles including the role of Board Chair of a National Charity. In addition, he 11.15-11.45pm The Role of Local Government: is an Associate lecturer in Human Resource Management with the Institute of Public Administration. He also mentors and acts as advisor to some major organisations on public/private sector relationships. He currently leads and chairs for Cooperation Ireland, Irelands Premier Community Do we need to give life back to our Centres? Awards called Pride of Place which he founded 16 years ago. He also leads and Chairs the search for Irelands National Enterprise Town for the Bank Eugene Cummins, Chief Executive, County Council of Ireland, which he designed for the bank. As a result of his previous employments, Pride of Place and Enterprise Towns, he has knowledge of virtually every city, town, village in Ireland.

11.45-12.15pm How to bring life and energy into your Centre : Realising The HomePlace Vision Brian McCormick Brian McCormick, Manager, Seamus Heaney HomePlace Manager, Eugene Cummins Seamus Heaney HomePlace Chief Executive, Roscommon County Council 12.15-12.45pm Q&A

Brian McCormick is the Manager of Seamus Heaney HomePlace. Brian was educated at Saint Patrick’s College, Maghera. He graduated from Eugene was appointed Chief Executive of Roscommon County Council on Queens University Belfast with a Hons Degree in Modern History and from 12.45-13.45pm Lunch 1st October 2015 having held a similar position with Monaghan County University of Ulster with an MSc in Sport, Exercise and Leisure. Brian, who is Council for the previous two years. Over the years Eugene has worked in a nephew of Seamus Heaney’s, worked in the hospitality industry before five Local Authorities at different grades and has been in Local Government taking up his current post, and prior to which worked in the Education sector “for a very long time”. He is particularly interested in town centre renewal for 10 years. He is passionate about the arts and wishes to ensure HomePlace 13.45pm Visit to the Seamus Heaney HomePlace through energising surrounding communities to nurture and develop their is a world class centre where people can fully immerse themselves in the work collective strengths by being actively involved in community activity to grow of Seamus Heaney. / promote / improve their area / town. Eugene has a BE in Civil Engineering and a Masters in Business Administration from Dublin City University.

www.cooperationireland.org www.cooperationireland.org ALL-ISLAND LOCAL AUTHORITY FORUM “Supporting sustainable co-operation between local government across the island of Ireland”

All-Island Local Authority Forum Sub Groups

Philanthropy Community Planning SOLACE NI/CCMA Leadership Spatial Planning Housing

FORUM MEMBERSHIP 2018 Society of Local Authority Chief Executives County & City Management Association (SOLACE NI) representatives are: (CCMA) representatives are:

Liam Hannaway Seamus Neely Chief Executive Chief Executive Newry, Mourne & Down District Council

Roger Wilson Philomena Poole Chief Executive Chief Executive Armagh City, Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown Banbridge & Craigavon Borough Council County Council

Anthony Tohill Chief Executive Frank Curran Mid Ulster Chief Executive District Council

John Kelpie Eugene Cummins Chief Executive Chief Executive Derry City & Strabane Roscommon County District Council Council

Eamonn O’Sullivan Chief Executive

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