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Module 4

Module 4: Engaging the Community

Tuesday 13th April: 3.30pm-7pm, Clanrye O’Hares Room, Canal Court Hotel, Newry

3:15-3:30pm Module registration: tea/coffee available on arrival
3:30-3:45pm Welcome; Reflections on Module 3; Defining the task for Module 5
3.45-4.00pm Reflective questions (consider the selected Module 3 themes: Tourism and Recreation; Cross-border Enterprise/Trade Strategy; and Green/sustainable/renewable energies):Who are the key stakeholders in the Twin-City Region and beyond?

How can these stakeholders be engaged in an action agenda for the region?

What specific role can local authorities, business, including chambers of commerce, and others play in harnessing greater community involvement?

  • Feedback from each table
4:00-4:30pm Case study (s) of Community Participation:In the Newry-Dundalk Twin-City Region, local governments and the respective chambers have been closely involved in developing the concept and strategies for the Twin-City Region. Engaging a wider community of stakeholders is a crucial step to furthering the concept and initiating/sustaining action around key projects and programmes. The cross-border context adds a layer of complexity when engaging the community given different types of social networks.

Brendan Bartley, drawing on his research and case studies in Ireland will highlight key issues for engaging community/local govt/private sector partnerships and developing a programme of sustained engagement among key stakeholders including the role for local authority leadership – Brendan Bartley, Research Associate, National Institute for Regional & Spatial Analysis, NUI Maynooth

  • Q&A with Brendan Bartley
4:30-5:00pm Putting the Community in Planning and Service Delivery: lessons from the UK for the Twin-City RegionWithin in Northern Ireland, the RPA proposes to devolve planning responsibilities to the new councils and encourage a more integrated community planning process to shape and implement local and regional development strategies. Under RPA, local councils will have increased discretion in linking a family of services, among them economic development, services, housing and planning.

Prof Greg Lloyd will provide insights on experiences from the UK on community participation to highlight the key issues and opportunities under RPA and the potential application within a cross-border context – Prof Greg Lloyd, Head of the School of the Built Environment, University of Ulster

  • Q&A with Prof Greg Lloyd
5:00-5:15pm Coffee break
5:15-6:30pm Working GroupsDeveloping an action agenda for community engagement

To consider two inter-related but discreet tasks:

  • How to cement the concept of the Twin-City Region in the eyes of the community (community in its broadest sense: businesses, NGOs, community groups, cross-border networks, centres of learning etc.)
  • How to ensure community involvement in taking forward a future action agenda
6:30-6:50pm Plenary – Bringing it all together – with input from expert panel comprising Prof Greg Lloyd and Brendan Bartley (facilitated by ICLRD)Report back from working groups, response and discussion from panel
6:50-7:00pm Engaging the Community in Shaping and Delivering Local Strategies (link to Module 5); Module 4 close; confirmation of arrangements for Module 5

Presentations – Module 4 Engaging the Community

1. Neale BlairEngaging the Community in Shaping and Delivering Local Strategies

2. Brendan BartleyCase study(s) of Community Participation

3. Prof Greg LloydPutting the Community in Planning and Service Delivery: lessons from the UK for the Twin-City Region