‘Economy must come first’ -NIIRTA

Newly-elected members of Mid and East Antrim Council have been urged to put the economy at the top of their agendas.
By The Newsroom
Published 3rd Jun 2014, 12:00 BST
Glyn Roberts, Chief Executive of the Northern Ireland Independent Retail Trade Association, pictured with Mariann Casagrande and John Shannon (Chairman) of the Larne Traders' Forum launching the Local First campaign in Larne. INLT 17-369-PRGlyn Roberts, Chief Executive of the Northern Ireland Independent Retail Trade Association, pictured with Mariann Casagrande and John Shannon (Chairman) of the Larne Traders' Forum launching the Local First campaign in Larne. INLT 17-369-PR
Glyn Roberts, Chief Executive of the Northern Ireland Independent Retail Trade Association, pictured with Mariann Casagrande and John Shannon (Chairman) of the Larne Traders' Forum launching the Local First campaign in Larne. INLT 17-369-PR

The call was made by the Northern Ireland Independent Retail Trade Association (NIIRTA), which has produced a detailed 80 Point Programme for Local Government and a EU Five Point Plan.

NIIRTA chief executive Glyn Roberts said: “Our newly elected councillors have a huge job of work ahead and must hit the ground running in addressing our economic challenges and regeneration of our town and city centres.

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“These new super councils will be significant players in local economic development and must ensure that they have a detailed programme of change in place for next April.

“NIIRTA has set out 80 ideas about how the 11 super councils, working with the NI Executive, can help to create employment, regenerate town centres, revamp car parking and ensure they adopt a fair planning policy.

“Given that Northern Ireland has twice the UK shop vacancy rate, one of the main points for our three MEPS is for the establishment of an EU Town Centre Taskforce.

“This taskforce would examine new ways of harnessing funding local town centre regeneration and identifying good policy practice in other EU towns and cities which have successfully addressed dereliction and returned to vibrancy.

“The new URBACT III is one funding stream which promotes sustainable urban development which should be a top priority for our three MEPs,” Mr Roberts concluded.

Related topics:Mid and East Antrim CouncilNI Executive