The Minister made her comments as she opened the community event, 'Progress through Partnership' in the Rathcoole area of Newtownabbey. The event brought together community and voluntary organisations in Rathcoole together with statutory representatives and local political representatives to look at ways to address the needs of local residents.
Margaret Ritchie said: “My department has been to the fore in supporting Neighbourhood Renewal in the Rathcoole area. Funding in excess of £200,000 has been made available to help address issues raised by the community during the consultation process and included in the action plan.”
Margaret Ritchie added: “Good progress has been made in implementing the Rathcoole Neighbourhood Renewal Strategy. The Rathcoole Neighbourhood Action Plan is the vehicle through which improvements can be made to the services available in the area. I would encourage everyone with an interest in the overall regeneration of the area to work together to deliver on the community-based plan.”
Maybeth McKirgan, Chairperson of Rathcoole Neighbourhood Partnerships said: "It is good to see a broad spectrum of the groupings of Rathcoole coming together for this event. We hope that coming from the day, a greater cohesion of effort to meet the needs of everyone in Rathcoole will ensue through implementation of the Rathcoole Neighbourhood Renewal Action Plan.”
Notes to Editors:
1. The Neighbourhood Renewal Strategy ‘People and Place’ was published in June 2003 to close the gap between the quality of life for people in the most deprived neighbourhoods and the rest of society. The Neighbourhood Renewal Strategy has four interlinking strategic objectives:
- community renewal – to develop confident communities that are able and committed to improving the quality of life in their areas;
- economic renewal – to develop economic activity in the most deprived neighbourhoods and connect them to the wider urban economy;
- social renewal – to improve social conditions for the people who live in the most deprived neighbourhoods through better co-ordinated public services and the creation of safer environments;
- physical renewal – to help create attractive, safe and sustainable environments in the most deprived neighbourhoods.
2. For media enquiries contact DSD Information Office on 028 9082 9078. Out of office hours please contact the Duty Press Officer via pager number 07699 715 440 and your call will be returned.
