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News

Planning Advice (Enniskillen)

We are continuing our series of drop in planning advice outreach sessions across the region.  The next one will be held on Wednesday, 25 September 2019 in Fermanagh House in Enniskillen (between 1.00 pm and 4.00 pm). 

Our Planning Advice Service is part-funded by the Department for Infrastructure and enables us to provide free, confidential, impartial planning advice to people and communities who cannot afford to pay a private consultant. 

You can drop into the advice session any time between 1.00 pm and 4.00 pm to get one-to-one advice from our planners.  There is no need to make an appointment.  We can give advice on: 

  • how the planning system works (applications; fees; enforcement; appeals);
  • planning policies;
  • your council’s decision making process; and
  • how to comment or object if you think a proposal or a development will have a negative impact on your home or your community.

 

You can also get advice by telephone (9023 9444) or by email (info@communityplaces.info).

9 September 2019

Live Here Love Here Small Grants Scheme

The Live Here Love Here Small Grants Scheme (part of a wider programme aimed at promoting civic pride within communities and improving environmental quality) is now open for applications.  Grants are available between £500 and £5,000.  The scheme will consider projects which engage volunteers and community groups to deliver practical action and which meet one of the following objectives:

  • improve the quality of the local environment;
  • reduce litter and/or dog fouling in the local environment through effective and innovative means;
  • develop the environmental management of a local area;
  • instil civic pride within a community provided the focus is on environmental improvement;
  • relate to environmental improvement in coastal areas or inland waterways;
  • improve the health and wellbeing of communities whilst helping to improve and/or maintain public spaces. 

The closing date for receipt of completed applications is 29 May 2019 and further information is available on LiveHereLoveHere’s website.

13 May 2019

Lottery Heritage Fund - Briefing Session at RCN

The National Lottery Heritage Fund Northern Ireland is about to make some changes to how it will fund organisations and projects.

Rural Community Network is hosting a briefing session with the Fund on Thursday, 14 March 2019 at 10.00 am at its offices in Cookstown.  The briefing shouldn’t take any longer than an hour and it is an opportunity for groups to get an overview of the future direction and ambitions for National Lottery funding for heritage over the next five years.

Fund representatives will explain the main changes and opportunities offered by the new framework, the key features of the new open programme including the outcomes it will be using to assess projects and will also offer guidance on submitting an application. 

Groups can register by email or by telephoning Theresa at RCN (8676 6670).

8 March 2019

Participatory Budgeting Works - Learning Event

During the last year Community Places has been co-ordinating the PB Works Project. We have worked with a range of organisations to create an enabling and supportive environment for Participatory Budgeting (PB) practice across the region. Seven PB projects have benefited from tailored support to plan and implement a PB process. These included: Rathlin Island’s 'Grugach's Gold'; Newry, Mourne and Down's 'Communities Leading Change'; Fermanagh and Omagh's 'Community Cash'; and Parent Action's 'Getting our Voices Heard’.  Additionally, Newington Housing Association, Antrim and Newtownabbey Borough Council and Forward South Partnership have received support to help them initiate and plan for PB processes which will be happening over the coming months.

Participants share the learning from the PB Works Project

On Wednesday, 28 November 2018 over 65 people attended a ‘Sharing the Learning’ event. Central to the event was the opportunity to hear from our PB trailblazers who shared their learning and insightful reflections on their respective PB processes.  Participants also heard from Dr Andrew Grounds from Queen's University who presented the findings of an Impact and Evaluation Report on the work of the PB Works Project. The final report will be available on the PB Works website soon. The entire day was captured through a live video produced by Chris Heath from 3FortyFiveFilms and is also available on the resources page of the website.

 

7 December 2018

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