Council backs Good Relations Action Plan

At last Tuesday night’s Policy and Development meeting councillors agreed to the plan brought forward by lead officer Julie Welsh.

“An overarching Good Relations Strategy for the four Council areas of Coleraine, Ballymoney,

Moyle and Limavady was developed for the period 2011 -14,” said Ms Welsh.

“This was the first joint Good Relations Strategy to be developed across this four Council Cluster and was approved by Coleraine Borough Council in March 2011. The associated Action Plans for the first two years have since been approved and implementation of the Plan for 2012/ 13 is almost complete.

“Council is now entering the final year of the current Strategy. The new Action Plan for 2013/14 maintains the same focus on the strategic priorities identified in the Strategy and continues to be closely aligned to the Community Cohesion Strategy adopted by Council in July 2010. The common issues identified in all four Council areas provide opportunities for collaboration as Council moves towards the Review of Public Administration.”

The Good Relations Programme reaches a vast number of people.

In 2011-12 5585 people participated in the Good Relations programme overall. Forty Council staff members participated in Good Relations training . And over 70 primary school pupils in the diversity project.

The total budget proposed for the new Plan is £120,996 with anticipated funding of

approximately £90,747 from OFMDFM. The net cost to Council is £30,249. The final budget for the plan is subject to grant aid from OFMDFM.